THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


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Ohio  Pen^ 


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HlSTORIGAL  RBMINIS0BN6ES 

OF  THE 

OHIO    PENITENTIARY 

FROM  ITS 

Erection  in  1835  to  the  Present  Time, 


A    DESCRIPTIVE    VIEW    OF    THE    INTERIOR    AND    ITS    SYSTEM  OF 

GOVERNMENT,     MODES     OF     PUNISHMENT,     BRIEF 

SKETCHES    OF    THE    PRISONERS    LIFE, 

Escapes,  Noted  Criminals, 


LITERARY    AND   RELIGIOUS   PRISONERS,  NAMES  AND   NOTES  OF 

ALL  THE  WARDENS  SINCE  ITS  ERECTION,  AND 

OTHER    PRINCIPAL   OFFICERS. 


Statement  of  the  Financial  Condition  of  the  Prison  at  Various  Times, 
AND  General  Notes  of  Interest. 


J.  H.  MATTHEWS. 


COLUMBUS,  OHIO. 

Chas.   M.  Cott  b  Co.,  Book  Printers. 
1884  . 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1884,  by 

J.  H.  MATTHEWS, 

In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


CONTENTS 


PART  I. 


\ 


Location  and  Description— The  Guard  Room — -The  Inside  of 
the  Prison — Dining  Room — State  Shops — Contract  Shops — 
The  Chapel  —  The  Hospital  —  Female  Department  —  The 
Prisoner  when  Received — The  Stripes  — Duties  of  the  Pris- 
oner— His  First  Day  at  Work — The  Famous  Lock  Step — 
Modes  of  Punishment — Solitary  Confinement — The  Battery 
— Escapes — The  Hide  Out— Noted  Criminals — &c.,  &c.,  .  .  .       9-52 

PART  n. 

Interesting  Statistics — Number  of  Prisoners- — Those  Serving 
the  Longest  Period — The  Alleged  Cause  of  Conviction — 
Intoxication — Age  of  Self  Support — Nativity — Educational 
Statistics — The  Family  Relation — Parental  Church  Relations 
— Occupation  Prior  to  their  Arrest — Terms  of  Sentence — 
Personal  Pleas — The  Use  of  Tobacco — The  Library — The 
Favorite  Books — Letters  from  Home — How  they  are  Re- 
ceived— Poem — No  Letter  Yet — Paper  Mail — The  Class  of 
Papers  Admitted — The  Work  of  Handling  the  Mail,  and 
the  Class  of  Convicts  Employed  to  Distribute,  after  Ex- 
amination,         53-67 


PART  III. 


VsLiterary  Prisoners — The  Last  Greeting — The  Liquor  Dealer's 
y^  Reflection— The  Exile— Friend  Jake's  Letter— The  Moon- 
\^  shiners — Never  Lost  Sight  Of — To  a  Lady  Friend — The 
Vv^  Prisoner's   Lament — The  Ohio   River   Sufferers — James  A. 


a> 


A  .^QCQC^Q 


PAGE. 

•Garfield  In  Memoriam — The  Old  Church  Bell — Song  of  the 
Dude— On  the  Fifth  Tier— A  Refusal— De  White  Family, 
as  Viewed  by  an  Old  Negro — Sad  Reflections — The  Convict's 
Lament — That  Humming  Bird — The  Far  Golden  West — 
A  Letter  to  the  Governor,  .    . 68-100 

PART  IV. 

Religion  in  Prison — Catholic  Service — Prayer  Meeting — The 
Prisoner's  Request  for  Books — Notes  to  the  Chaplain — 
Contents  of  the  Bible — Sunday  School — The  Prison  Choir 
—  General  Service — Visitors  During  Service — How  Sunday 
Afternoons  are  Spent  by  the  Prisoners — Convict's  View  of 
Sin  and  its  Penalties — The  Reply — What  this  World  would 
be  were  Sin  Abolished — The  Birth  of  Our  Savior — Gleanings 
from  the  Bible — A  Letter, IOI-125 

PART  V. 

Historical  Sketches  of  Officers — Brief  Sketches  of  all  the 
Wardens  since  its  Erection  in  1835 — Other  Officers — Bio- 
graphical Sketch  of  the  Oldest  Prison  Official  in  the  World, 
James  A.  Dean — Also,  Brief  Sketches  of  Captain  Noah 
Thomas  and  Dr.  Norman  Gay, 126-153 

PART  VI. 

Financial  Standing  of  the  Prison  at  various  times — Average 
Number  of  Convicts  each  year — General  Remarks — Original 
Poems — Appendix, 154-192 


VI 


PREFACE. 

Who  can  listen  to  a  story  of  crime  and  not  become 
interested  ?  Who  has  ever  visited  the  Ohio  Peniten- 
tiary that  can  not,  while  relating  the  sights  and  the 
movements  of  the  great  body  of  prisoners  marching 
through  the  prison  grounds  or  working  in  the  shops, 
fill  the  listener  with  awe  and  interest  ?  Who  has  never 
had  a  desire  to  visit  the  great  penal  institution  of  the 
state  of  Ohio  ?  Only  a  few  ever  obtain  that  privilege, 
owing  to  one  prevention  or  another,  and  it  is  those  who 
have  not  the  opportunity  that  are  most  interested,  and 
to  give  such  persons  an  idea  of  its  workings,  I  tender 
this  brief  but  carefully  and  accurately  compiled  work, 
feeling  that  those  who  may  read  its  pages  will  be  fully 
satisfied  with  my  effort. 

The  task  of  writing  this  work  was  no  Hght  one,  as 
the  records  of  the  prison,  until  within  a  few  years  past, 
are  very  incomplete,  and  in  order  to  have  all  dates  and 
happenings  correct  it  required  extra  time  and  labor. 

What  I  have  written  are  facts,  as  near  as  could  be 

VII 


gathered,  and  I  hope  the  reader  will  find  them   interest- 
ing. 

I  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  prisoner's  daily  life,  good 
qualities  and  literary  power,  with  the  different  modes  of 
punishment,  systems  of  government,  brief  sketches  of 
all  the  Wardens  and  other  prominent  officials  who  have 
been  connected  with  the  institution  since  its  erection  in 

1835- 

Having  had  four  years'  experience  as  an  officer,  gives 
me  a  more  correct  and  thorough  knowledge  of  the  insti- 
tution and  the  daily  lives  of  the  convicts,  than  anyone 
could  obtain  from  a  few  visits  for  the  purpose  of  writing 
an  article  or  book. 

The  life  of  the  convict  is  very  different  from  that  of 
any  other  living  person,  from  the  fact  that  he  is  the  sub- 
ject of  his  own  reflection,  which  brightens  or  dims,  and 
either  fits  him  for  a  higher  and  nobler  calling  or  leaves 
him  a  wreck  from  remorse. 

J.  H.  M. 

Columbus,  O.,  May,  1884. 


VIII 


The  Ohio  Penitentiary. 


PART    I. 

Location  and  Description — The  Guard  Room — The  Inside 
of  the  Prison — Dining  Room — State  Shops — Contract 
Shops — The  Chapel — The  Hospital — Female  Department 
— The  Prisoner  when  received — The  Stripes — Duties  of 
the  Prisoner — His  First  Day  at  Work — The  Famous  Lock 
Step — Modes  of  Punishment — Solitary  Confinement — The 
Battery — Escapes — The  Hide  Out — Noted  Criminals — 
&c.,  &c. 


LOCATION  AND  DESCRIPTION, 

The  Ohio  Penitentiary  is  situated  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  Scioto  river.  It  is  now  within  the  corporation  limits 
of  Columbus,  the  capital  of  the  state.  The  institution 
was  erected  by  authority  of  an  act,  issued  February  8^ 
1832.  At  this  time  it  was  outside  of  the  corporation 
line,  but,  owing  to  the  rapid  growth  of  the  city,  it  is 
now  but  a  short  distance  from  the  business  part  of  the 
city.      It  is  the  distance  of  three  squares  from  High 


10  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

Street,  the  principal  thoroughfare  of  Columbus.  It 
fronts  south  on  Spring  street  a  distance  of  two  squares ; 
extends  northward  four  squares  ;  the  east  side  approaches 
the  west  so  that  the  north  end  is  little  more  than  one 
square  wide.  It  is  enclosed  on  all  sides  (except  the 
front)  by  a  stone  wall  thirty  feet  high  and  three  and  a 
half  feet  thick.  There  are  twenty-eight  acres  of  ground 
in  this  enclosure.  At  the  front  of  the  enclosure  are  the 
two  oldest  cell  buildings,  also  the  administration  build- 
ing. In  each  of  these  cell  houses,  surrounded  by  a  wide 
aisle,  is  a  block,  five  stories  high,  containing  cells 
which  face  on  both  sides.  There  are  thirty-five  cells  in 
a  range,  making  three  hundred  and  fifty  cells  in  a  block. 
There  are  three  blocks  in  the  old  building  known  as  the 
East,  Middle  and  West  Halls.  The  cells  are  very  small, 
scarcely  high  enough  to  allow  a  man  to  stand  erect  in 
them.  Each  cell  is  furnished  with  one  gas  jet  which  the 
prisoner  is  allowed  to  burn  until  9  o'clock  each  night, 
when,  by  a  tap  of  a  bell  in  the  Guard  Room,  they  must 
extinguish  the  light  and  immediately  retire.  The  doors 
are  of  heavy  barred  iron  ;  the  walls  are  very  thick  ;  the 
beds  are  iron  frames  swung  from  the  wall  of  the  cell. 

Adjoining  the  walls  of  the  old  west  cell  house,  and 
forming  an  L  with  it,  is  a  new  cell  building,  erected  in 
1878,  during  the  administration  of  Warden  B.  F.  Dyer. 
In  this  building  the  cells  are  much  larger  and  more 
cheerful  looking.  The  entire  front  of  the  cell  is  barred 
iron.     There  are  five  hundred  and  eighty  cells  in  the 


GUARD    ROOM.  II 


new  building,    making  in  an   aggregate  one  thousand 
six  hundred  and  thirty  cells. 

Between   the  two  old  cell  houses  and  back  of  the 
administration  building,  is  the 


GUARD  ROOM. 

This  is  presided  over  by  an  officer  known  as  the  Cap- 
tain of  the  Guard  Room.  He  has  entire  control  of  the 
doors  leading  into  the  prison.  It  is  a  very  responsible 
position,  as  it  requires  a  person  with  excellent  memory 
to  hold  it.  It  is  required  of  him  to  remember  all  who 
pass  inside,  that  he  may  recognize  them  as  they  pass 
out.  The  doors  are  opened  by  means  of  a  lever,  which 
works  with  a  spring,  and  are  always  locked  except 
when  persons  are  passing  through.  No  prisoner  has 
ever  escaped  through  the  Guard  Room,  so  complete  are 
the  means  to  prevent  anything  of  the  kind.  The  Guard 
Room  is  also  the  place  where  friends  and  relatives  are 
permitted  to  converse  with  the  prisoner  while  visiting 
him.  Visiting  is  allowed  once  a  month,  and  the  con- 
versation to  last  one-half  hour.  Here  the  poor  old 
father  and  mother,  brother  and  sister,  wife  and  little 
ones,  come  for  a  look,  a  kiss,  or  a  few  words  of  comfort 
from  the  wayward  one.  The  saddest  of  all  in  my  ex- 
perience as  an  officer  of  the  Prison,  is  to  sit  and  listen 
to  some  poor,  old,  heart-broken  mother  begging  of  her 
boy  the  promise  to  lead  a  better  life  when  he  regains 


1-2  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

his  liberty,  and  his  promise  to  be  a  comfort  to  her  in 
her  declining  years.  Alas !  how  often  is  father  and 
mother  torgotten  when  they  reach  the  outside  world 
again. 

THE  INSIDE  OF  THE  PRISON 

Presents  to  the  eye  of  the  beholder  a  large  mass  of 
buildings  divided  into  blocks  after  the  pattern  of  a  mod- 
ern village.  The  streets  are  wide  and  paved  with  stone. 
There  are  also  stone  and  brick  pavements.  The  whole 
interior  is  kept  perfectly  clean  ;  in  much  better  condi- 
tion than  some  of  our  would-be  cities.  There  is  a 
place  for  everything,  and  all  are  required,  by  the  Super- 
intendent of  Yard,  to  strictly  obey  the  rules.  The 
visitor  wonders  on  passing  through  how  so  much  work 
can  be  done  with  such  a  quiet  precision.  The  only 
answer  to  the  above  is,  ''  good  discipline,  "  for  without 
it  nothing  could  be  accomplished  worthy  of  mention. 
On  passing  through  the  East  and  Middle  Halls  from 
the  Guard  Room,  you  enter  the  Kitchen  and  Dining 
Room.  This  massive  department  is  one  of  the  curiosi- 
ties of  the  Prison.  First  are  the  coffee  boilers — huge 
copper  kettles  holding  two  hundred  and  fifty  gallons  each. 
Next  the  kettles  for  cooking  vegetables — five  in  number, 
and  each  holding  an  hundred  and  twenty  five  gallons. 
You  pass  from  the  kitchen  into  the  Bakery,  where  the 
bread  for  feeding  the  prisoners  is  baked.     The  ovens 


STATE    SHOP.  13 


are  mammoth  affairs  with  a  revolving  center  that  keeps 
the  bread  in  motion  while  baking,  to  prevent  its  being 
burned.  There  are  over  fourteen  barrels  of  flour  con- 
sumed every  day.  You  pass  from  the  bakery  into  the 
Dining  Hall.  This  is  built  in  the  form  of  an  L  and 
will  seat  eighteen  hundred  prisoners. 


STATE    SHOP. 

This  is  where  the  making  of  clothes,  boots  and  shoes, 
and  all  kind  of  repairing  is  done.  Here  located  is  the 
Book  Bindery,  Tin  Shop,  Store  Room,  and  Tobacco 
Manufactory.  On  passing  from  the  State  Shop  you 
come  to  the  Hayden  Shops — contract.  Here  all  the  iron 
work  for  saddlery  and  harness  is  manufactured.  Buckles, 
bridle  bits,  stirrups,  hame  tops,  &c.,  are  here  moulded, 
then  japanned  or  plated,  as  the  order  may  be,  after 
which  they  are  sent  to  the  shipping  room  and  packed 
for  the  market. 

Next  is  the  famous  Patton  Contract.  This  is  consid- 
ered one  of  the  hardest  contracts  in  the  prison.  It 
consistsof  a  Hollow  Ware  Foundry,  Grinding,  Polishing 
and  Enameling  Rooms.  There  are  over  two  hundred 
prisoners  employed  on  the  contract,  and  among  them 
some  of  the  most  noted  criminals  in  the  prison.  There 
are  six  guards  constantly  on  the  watch  and  ever  ready 
to  preserve  order. 

We   next   have   the    Coopering  Contract.     There  are 


14  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

seventy-five  men  employed  making  barrels.  One  would 
think  on  passing  through  these  shops  and  witnessing 
the  earnestness  of  each  man  at  work,  that  he  was  paid 
the  highest  wages.  In  this  (cooper)  shop  works  Andrew 
Egner,  the  murderer  of  Herman  Schilling,  of  Cincinnati, 
some  years  ago. 

Our  attention  is  now  directed  to  the  Chair  Shops. 
This  is  a  nice  contract;  the  work  being  light  and  easy. 
Mr.  Bailey,  the  contractor,  carries  on  the  business  ex- 
tensively. The  rough  work  is  done  by  prisoners  and 
the  finishing  is  done  in  shops  outside  the  walls. 

The  Columbus  Boot  and  Shoe  Contract,  also  the 
American  Harness  Co.,  of  Cincinnati,  are  carrying  on  a 
very  heavy  business,  employing  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  prisoners,  and  a  large  number  of  citizens  from  the 
outside.  They  occupy  a  large  three  story  building, 
recently  built  by  the  state. 

We  now  enter  the  Brown  and  Hinman  Contract. 
This  includes  five  shops,  in  which  are  manufactured 
hoes,  rakes,  forks  and  many  other  agricultural  imple- 
ments. 

Next  is  Geo.  W.  Gill's  Stove  Foundry  and  Finishing 
Rooms;  then  comes  the  Ohio  Tool  Co.  Contract.  Here 
all  kinds  of  carpenter's  tools  are  manufactured.  This  is 
a  good  contract,  although  a  greater  part  of  the  work  is 
very  hard. 

We  now  pass  through  the  Ayers,  Mithoflr&  Co.  Con- 
tract, where  is  manufactured  all  the  wood  work  for  car- 


THE    CHAPEL.  I  5 


riages,  wagons,  &c.  A  large  number  of  men  are  here 
employed.  The  Columbus  Bolt  Works  employ  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  is  considered  a  good 
contract. 

Next  is  the  Evans,  Mithoff  and  Co.'s  Toy  Shops. 
Here  are  manufactured  velocipedes,  baby  carriages, 
express  wagons,  and  carts.  About  fifty  prisoners  are 
employed  here. 

The  last  contract  we  shall  mention  is  the  Cigar  Con- 
tract. About  seventy  five  men  are  employed  making 
cigars.  There  are  fifty  thousand  cigars  manufactured 
daily.  This  is  much  lighter  work  than  some  we  have 
mentioned,  but  it  has  proved  to  be  very  injurious  to 
one  with  weak  lungs. 

The  Mill  is  next  in  order.  Here  the  flour  is  ground 
to  make  the  bread  to  feed  the  "  boys.  "  Next  is  the 
Wash  House  where  all  the  wishing  for  the  institution 
is  done.  Here  you  find  the  bath  room  fitted  up  with 
the  latest  improvements  for  bathing.  It  is  a  long  room 
with  bath  tubs  on  either  side,  separated  by  a  partition 
between  each  tub.  All  the  prisoners  are  compelled  to 
bathe  once  every  week. 


THE  CHAPEL. 

This  building  stands  in  the  center  of  the  yard,  directly 
back  of  the  administration  building.  It  has  a  seating 
capacity   of  two    thousand    people — eighteen  hundred 


l6  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

prisoners  and  two  hundred  visitors.  Tiiere  is  a  large 
gallery  in  the  north  wing,  facing  the  rostrum,  which  the 
female  prisoners  occupy  during  Sunday  service. 

There  are  four  rooms  in  the  front  of  the  building. 
The  Deputy  occupies  two  of  them,  and  the  Chaplain's 
office  and  Library  the  remaining  two.  Directly  over 
the  Deputy's  office  is  a  large  room  occupied  by  the 
officers  who  are  detailed  to  remain  at  night  on  fire 
watch.  At  the  northwest  corner  of  the  chapel  is  a 
building  where  the  Fire  Department  is  located.  The 
second  story  is  the  Architect's  office  and  Patro!  rooms. 
On  either  side  and  in  front  of  the  chapel  is  a  large  lawn, 
laid  off  in  plats,  with  brick  walks  between,  while  in 
front  is  a  large  fountain  surrounded  by  flower  beds, 
which  in  summer  presents  to  the  eye  a  beautiful  ap- 
pearance. On  the  left  front  are  a  number  of  sycamore 
trees,  planted  over  thirty  years  ago  by  a  prisoner  of  the 
name  of  Ferdwand  Seitz.  who  was  sent  up  from  Hamil- 
ton Co.  for  murder,  Nov.  5th,  1845.  O'l  ^^e  east  of 
the  lawn  in  the  third  story  of  a  building  is  the  Hospital. 
It  is  a  large  room,  divided  into  two  wards,  one  for  the 
sick  and  the  other  for  those  who  get  crippled.  Every- 
thing that  can  be  done  to  alleviate  the  sufferer  is  done 
by  willing  hands.  There  are  a  number  of  prisoners 
steadily  employed  to  wait  on  the  sick.  The  Hospital 
Kitchen  is  another  interesting  feature,  and  everything 
that  can  tempt  the  appetite  of  the  sick  is  furnished  and 
here  prepared  for  them.      If  a  patient   wants   chicken, 


THE    FEMALE    DEPARTMENT.  1 7 

oysters,  or  anything  that  can  be  had,  it  is  procured  for 
him.  Dr.  Gay's  (the  present  prison  physician)  maxim 
is  :  If  a  prisoner  is  sick  and  anything  can  be  done  for 
him  in  the  way  of  medical  treatment — do  it.  If  he  is 
able  to  work — make  him  work.  He  is  considered  by 
all  who  know  him  and  know  of  this  work,  to  be  one  of 
the  best  physicians  that  has  ever  had  charge  of  the 
prison. 


THE    FEMALE    DEPARTMENT. 

This  is  the  coziest  place  of  all.  The  building  is  three 
stories  high  and  is  situated  south  of  the  old  East  Hall 
building.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  stone  wall  of  the  same 
height  as  the  one  surrounding  the  prison.  On  the  first 
f^oor  is  the  Reception  Room,  where  the  female  prisoners 
see  their  friends.  Matrons'  Apartments,  and  the  Laun- 
dry. On  the  second  floor  is  the  Sewing  Room,  the 
Dining  Room,  and  the  Dry  Room.  On  the  third  floor  are 
the  Sleeping  Apartments.  The  room  is  long  with  cells 
on  the  sides  ;  these  cells  are  more  homelike  in  appear- 
ance than  the  mens',  many  of  them  being  daintily 
arranged  with  pictures  on  the  walls,  presents  from 
friends  outside,  arranged  on  shelves  in  a  very  artistic 
manner.  Miss  Ray  Houk,  the  present  Matron,  and  her 
assistant,  Mrs.  Julia  Glines.  are  held  in  high  esteem 
by  the  officers  of  the  prison  for   the   manner  in   which 


THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


they  have  successfully  conducted  this  department  dur- 
ing the  present  administration. 


THE    PRISONER. 

We  have  given  a  sketch  of  the  Institution  and  will  now 
change  our  course  and  proceed  to  give  the  reader  a  his- 
tory of  a  prisoner  from  the  time  he  enters  the  prison. 
First  he  comes  with  the  sheriff  in  charge  to  the  Guard 
Room.  The  sheriff  presents  to  the  Warden  or  Clerk 
The  Commitment  Papers,  showing  for  what  crime  he  was 
convicted,  and  how  long  he  will  have  to  stay.  His 
handcuffs  are  taken  off,  (in  many  instances  his  legs  are 
shackled  with  heavy  chains  to  prevent  his  trying  to 
escape  while  being  brought)  and  he  is  turned  over  to 
the  Captain  of  the  Guard  Room,  who  searches  him  thor- 
oughly for  anything  he  may  have  secreted  on  his  person. 
He  is  now  taken  in  charge  by  a  guard  who  marches  him 
to  the  State  Shop,  where  he  is  registered  on  the  Super- 
intendent's book  and  a  note  made  of  the  value  of  his 
clothing.  He  is  given  a  bundle  and  marched  to  the 
bath  room  where  he  is  ordered  to  throughly  cleanse 
himself.      He  now  dons  that  horrible  garb — 


DUTIES    OF   THE    PRISONERS.  1 9 

THE  STRIPES. 

He  is  now  taken  to  the  Transfer  Clerk  who  takes  his 
name  and  age.     Now  he  sits  and  listens  to  the  reading 


of  the  rules  he  is  bound  to  obey  so  long  as  he  wears 
the  "  stripes.  "  - 

DUTIES    OF    THE    PRISONERS. 
I.   They  are  to  labor  faithfully  and  diligently,  to  obey 


20  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


all  orders  promptly,  and  to  observe  unbroken  silence. 

2.  They  are  not  to  exchange  a  word  with  each  other, 
or  make  use  of  any  signs  except  such  as  are  necessary 
to  convey  their  wants  to  the  waiters. 

3.  They  must  approach  their  guards  in  a  respectful 
manner  and  be  brief  in  their  communication.  They  are 
not  to  speak  to  them  on  ordinary  topics,  nor  address 
them  except  when  necessary,  in  relation  to  their  work 
or  their  necessary  wants, 

4.  They  shall  not  at  any  time,  under  any  pretense 
without  leave,  speak  to  any  person  who  does  not  belong 
to  the  Institution,  nor  receive  from  them  any  letter, 
paper,  tobacco  or  anything  whatever.  They  are  not  to 
leave  the  place  they  are  put  to  work,  nor  the  work 
they  are  set  to  do,  without  special  permission  or  order 
of  the  proper  officers.  They  are  not  to  suffer  their 
attention  to  be  taken  from  their  work  to  look  at  visitors, 
nor  are  they  to  gaze  at  them  when  unemployed. 

5.  No  convict  is  to  willfully  injure  his  work,  tools,  wear- 
ing apparel,  bedding  or  anything  belonging  to  or  about 
the  prison.  Nor  will  any  prisoner  be  allowed  to  mark 
or  injure,  or  in  any  way  deface  the  walls  of  or  any  part 
of  his  cell  or  night  room.  Nor  is  he  to  execute  his 
work  badly  when  he  has  the  ability  to  do  it  well. 

6.  No  convict  shall  receive  or  transmit  any  letter  or 
paper  except  under  the  inspection  of  the  Warden  Nor 
shall  such  convict  converse  with  any  person  except  the 
Governor,  Heads  of  Departments,   Members  of  the  Gen- 


DUTIES    OF    THE    PKISONEKS.  21 

eral  Assembly,    Judges  of  the  Supreme  and  Common 
Pleas  Courts,  and  officers  of  the  prison. 

7.  Each  prisoner,  as  far  as  practicable,  shall  occupy 
the  same  cell  every  night.  A-s  they  enter  their  respec- 
tive cells,  each  prisoner,  after  setting  down  his  room 
bucket,  must  draw  the  door  of  his  cell  until  it  strikes 
the  latch,  and  in  this  position  stand  holding  the  door 
until  the  Turnkey  approaches  and  enters  the  key.  The 
prisoner  shall  then  instantly  close  the  door. 

8.  At  the  ringing  of  the  bell  every  prisoner  must  go 
to  bed  immediately  (but  they  may  go  to  bed  previously 
.if  they  choose)  and  a  profound  silence  must  be  ob- 
served from  that  time  until  the  sound  of  the  bell  in  the 
morning,  at  which  time  every  prisoner  must  imme- 
diately dress  himself  and  prepare  to  march  out. 

9.  They  shall  all  march  in  military  step  and  in  such 
order  as  may  be  designated  by  the  officers  in  charge. 
While  in  their  cells,  and  while  marching,  and  at  all 
other  times,  all  unnecessary  noise  must  be  avoided. 

10.  No  prisoner  will  be  suffered  to  sleep  with  his 
clothes  on. 

11.  If  a  prisoner  becomes  sick  or  from  any  cause 
feels  unable  to  work,  he  shall  report  himself  to  the 
officer  under  whose  charge  he  may  be. 

12.  Convicts  will  only  be  allowed  such  food,  tobacco 
and  clothing  as  are  issued  in  the  prison. 

13.  For  all  willful  violations  of  the  above  rules,  pun- 
ishment will  certainly  be  inflicted. 


22  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

Dear  reader,  imagine  the  feeling  of  the  poor  culprit 
as  he  listens  to  those  rules  of  iron.  Many  times  do 
these  words  fall  on  the  ear  of  a  mere  boy,  who,  in  fear 
and  trembling,  sits  with  bowed  head,  unable  to  check 
the  falling  tears.  How  he  thinks  of  home  and  mother  \ 
the  good  advice  he  has  so  often  listened  to  and  passed  by 
unheeded.  The  barber's  chair  now  receives  him  and 
the  curly  locks  or  the  handsome  beard  is  taken  off.  Oh  ! 
this  is  humiliating.  Many  would  sacrifice  almost  any- 
thing rather  than  lose  their  beard.  Next  he  is  taken 
to  the  Hospital,  where  he  is  thoroughly  examined  by 
the  physician  and  a  detailed  statement  of  his  physical 
condition  recorded  in  the  Hospital  Register. 

The  Chaplain's  Office  is  the  next  place  in  order. 
Here  he  gives  his  name,  age,  nativity,  education,  age 
of  self-support,  habits,  temperate  or  intemperate, 
number  of  years  attended  Sunday  school,  church 
of  parents,  domestic  relations,  previous  occupation, 
plea  to  the  crime  charged  with,  alleged  cause  and 
number  of  convictions.  He  is  given  a  number  which 
is  to  accompany  his  name  during  his  term  of  imprison- 
ment. He  is  also  instructed  as  to  what  reading  matter 
he  will  be  allowed  to  receive,  and  if  he  is  penitent  and 
wishes  to  attend  Sunday  school  or  prayer  meeting  his 
name  is  taken  and  cards  placed  on  his  cell  door  that 
entitles  him  to  attend  ;  the  general  service  all  are  com- 
pelled to  attend.  At  last  he  stands  before  the  Deputy 
Warden.     This  is   the  last  place  the  prisoner   appears 


LOCK    STEP.  23 


before  he  is  placed  at  work.  The  Deputy  views  his 
man  from  head  to  foot,  if  he  is  a  large,  stout  fellow, 
he  is  very  apt  to  go  in  a  foundry,  if  a  mere  boy,  he 
is  placed  at  some  lighter  work. 

THE  FIRST  DAY  AT  WORK. 

He  is  taken  to  the  shop  and  placed  at  work.  The 
foreman  instructs  him  and  he  works  away  until  a  bell 
in  the  shop  sounds  a  tap — he  looks  up  perhaps  for 
the  first  time  since  his  arrival  in  the  shop,  the  guard 
orders  him  to  wash  his  face  and  prepare  to  march  to 
dinner.  He  is  placed  in  rank  between  two  older  prison- 
ers, and  at  the  word  "  march  "  starts  in  the  famous 

LOCK    STEP, 

Which  is  the  mode  of  marching.  In  the  yard  in  front  of 
the  chapel  his  company  is  halted,  and  here  he  has  a 
view  of  the  vast  body  of  law  breakers  standing  in  com- 
panies waiting  for  the  summons  to  march  into  the  din- 
ing hall.  The  signal  is  given  by  one  tap  of  a  large  bell 
in  the  Deputy's  office.  After  they  are  all  seated  in  the 
dining  hall,  a  perfect  sea  of  heads,  another  tap  of  the 
bell  is  given  and  all  remove  their  caps,  when  the 
Chaplain  says  grace  ;  another  tap  of  the  bell  and  all 
begin  to  eat.  Their  dinner  consists  of  soup,  meat, 
potatoes,    a  large  piece  of  gran  am  bread,  and  a  large 


24  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


bowl  of  coffee ;  they  are  allowed  twenty  minutes  for 
dinner.  I  will  here  say  that  the  prisoners  in  the  Ohio 
Penitentiary  are  well  fed.  One  more  tap  of  the  bell 
and  they  leave  the  table  and  reform  into  companies  and 
march  back  to  their  shops. 

Many  persons  on  the  outside  are  under  the  impres- 
sion that  the  prisoner  always  learns  a  trade  while  in 
prison  ;  such  is  not  the  case.  He  is  only  placed  at  some 
particular  work  which  he  must  continue  during  his  time 
of  imprisonment. 

We  will  now  leave  the  prisoner  to  follow  his  daily  toil, 
and  proceed  to  give  the 


MODES  OF   PUNISHMENT. 

Some  years  ago  the  whipping  post  was  practiced. 
Each  guard  was  compelled  to  whip  those  who  were 
infractions  under  his  charge.  Next  came  the  ducking 
tub.  The  prisoner  was  stripped  and  tumbled  into  a 
large  tub  of  cold  water,  and  kept  there  until  he  would 
become  passive  and  promise  to  be  a  better  Jboy.  The 
bull  rings  were  next  brought  forward.  When  a  prisoner 
would  become  unruly  he  was  handcuffed  and  tied  to  a 
post,  or  sometimes  to  his  cell  door,  so  that  his  feet 
would  just  reach  the  flour,  but  not  sufificient  to  allow 
him  to  rest  his  weight  upon  them  ;  thereby  causing  the 
whole   weight  of  his  body    to  be  held  by  his  wrists. 


SOLITARY    CONFINEMENT.  2$ 

This  was  a  cruel  mode  of  punishiment,  and  was  soon 
abandoned.     After  this,  came 

SOLITARY    CONFINEMENT. 

The  cells  being  perfectly  dark,  with  nothing  to  rest  on, 
(no  bed)  the  prisoner  was  compelled  to  walk  back- 
ward and  forward  or  lie  down  on  the  cold  floor  ;  no 
nourishment  except  a  quarter  ration  of  bread  and  water. 
Thus  he  would  remain  brooding  over  his  life  of  crime, 
and  in  many  cases  longing  for  death  to  free  him  from 
his  life  of  torture.  There  is  one  man  now  an  inmate 
of  the  prison  who  served  nearly  nine  yea^s  in  solitay  con- 
finement, and  it  seems  almost  a  miracle  to  know  he  is 
yet  living,  but  his  days  are  numbered,  he  is  almost 
gone  with  consumption.  In  conversation  with  him  at 
one  time,  he  told  me  the  way  in  which  he  killed  time. 
He  would  take  a  pin  and  throw  it  at  random  in  his  cell 
and  then  search  for  it ;  sometimes  several  days  would 
elapse  before  he  could  find  it,  his  cell  being  so  obscurely 
dark.  Such  things  as  dungeons  are  not  to  be  found  in 
the  Ohio  Penitentiary  now.  Almost  the  first  thing  Mr. 
Thomas  done,  after  entering  upon  his  duties  as  Warden^ 
was  to  order  the  dungeons  taken  away  entirely. 

The  next  mode  of  punishment  was  the 

ELECTRIC   BATTERY, 

Known  only  to  the  "boys"  as  the  "  Humming  Bird.'* 


26  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

This  was  very  severe  and  required  one  to  understand 
how  to  apply  it  without  serious  injury.  The  prisoner 
was  placed  in  a  large  box  containing  about  eighteen  (i8) 
inches  of  water  ;  there  was  a  large  steann  pipe  attached, 
and  when  turned  on  made  a  most  frightful  noise.  The 
battery  was  then  placed  in  the  water  and  charged  with 
the  electricity  ;  the  prisoner  could  not  know — his  eyes 
being  bandaged — what  was  taking  place,  and  the  shock 
from  the  battery  would  soon  bring  him  to  subjection. 
After  having  been  there  once  they  would  dread  it  so 
that  when  sent  the  second  time  they  would  beg  most  pite- 
ously  to  be  let  off  and  they  would  obey  all  the  rules. 
If  Mr.  Dean,  the  Deputy,  thought  them  sincere  he  would 
grant  their  request,  and  allow  them  to. go  back  to  their 
work  with  the  understanding  as  to  what  they  might 
expect  should  they  violate  their  promise.  I  remember 
an  instance  in  which  a  colored  man  was  reported,  and 
when  placed  in  the  tub  begged  so  hard  for  mercy  that 
the  officer  in  charge  instead  of  applying  the  battery, 
took  a  lead  pencil  from  his  pocket  and  ran  it  lightly  up 
and  down  his  back ;  the  poor  fellow  was  so  frightened 
that  he  thought  the  battery  was  being  applied  with  full 
force,  and  exclaimed:  "Oh,  Lordy  Massa!  if  you  jes 
take  that  'bumble  bee'  off,  I  nevah  do  nothin'  moah." 
The  last  mode  of  'punishment  is  an  invention  by  our 
present  Warden,  Noahj^Thomas.  It  is  an  arrangement 
made  somewhat^the'shapejof  the^spout  onf  a.]  sprinkling 
can,  and  is  held  so  that  the^spray  of  water  strikes  the 


ESCAPES.  27 

man  in  the  face,  and  by  steady  application  will  take 
away  his  breath  which  frightens  him  dreadfully.  It  is 
perfectly  harmless,  and  is  by  far  the  best  and  most 
successful  mode  of  punishment  ever  used  in  the  prison. 

ESCAPES. 

David  Kently  escaped  March  6,  1866,  by  cutting  a 
hole  through  his  cell  floor  and  passing  into  the  air 
chamber  underneath  the  cell.  Mr.  Dean  says  it  was 
the  most  complete  beat  the  institution  ever  had.  He 
suspicioned  him  of  being  up  to  some  kind  of  devilment 
and  had  him  changed  to  another  cell  for  awhile ;  noth- 
ing further  developing,  he  had  him  placed  back  in  his 
old  cell  and  that  night  he  made  his  escape.  He  was 
never  recaptured  here,  but  finally  landed  in  the  Connec- 
ticut prison.  Being  watched  very  closely  (the  officials 
knew  him  to  be  a  bad  man)  he  finally  became  so  desper- 
ate at  being  so  completely  handled,  that  one  day  he  sent 
for  the  Warden,  on  some  pretense,  and  when  he  came  to 
the  cell  door  Kently  stabbed  him  with  a  knife  he  had 
fastened  on  the  end  of  a  broom  handle  which  he  had  in 
his  cell,  killing  him  instantly,  for  which  he  was  hanged  in 
1872. 

Jacob  Givens  escaped  from  the  front  (he  was  the 
Warden's  carriage  driver)  February  3,  1868.  He  was 
recaptured  February  24,  1881  ;  making  thirteen  years 
and  twenty-one  days  he  was  away. 


28  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

Chas.  Vanscoy  escaped  in   1874  by  scaling  the  wall. 

Julius  Bauer  escaped  September  20,  1875.  He  was 
working  in  the  gas  house  at  night  and  escaped  from  there. 
His  guard  had  such  confidence  in  him  that  he  gave  him 
permission  to  perform  errands  over  the  yard ;  this  gave 
him  plenty  of  time  to  plan  and  get  ready  means  of 
escape.  In  the  evening  while  the  guard  was  eating 
his  supper  Julius  bid  good-bye  to  the  O.  P.  and  skipped. 
He  was  recaptured  in  July,  1880. 

F.  J.  Kelley,  from  Cleveland,  escaped  in  1876,  by 
hiring  a  boy  to  nail  him  up  in  a  box  and  haul  him  out 
in  his  wagon  for  two  hundred  dollars.  The  boy  com- 
pleted his  work — but  instead  of  receiving  the  two  hun- 
dred dollars  he  received  a  four  years'  sentence  to  the 
Reform  Farm,  which  broke  his  poor  old  father's  heart. 
Kelley  was  recaptured  December  18,  1883,  ("given 
away"  by  a  brother,  rumor  says),  and  pardoned  Janu- 
ary 4,  1884,  by  Governor  Foster.  He  seems  to  have 
led  a  very  good  Hfe  while  a  fugitive  from  justice,  and 
had  one  of  the  strongest  petitions  ever  presented,  being 
signed  by  a  number  of  our  leading  statesmen.  Yet, 
while  he  was  establishing  a  good  record  outside,  his 
accomplice,  W.  S.  Wiggins,  who  was  sent  up  at  the 
same  time,  has  established  a  good  record  inside  the  prison. 
Many  were  very  indignant  over  the  pardoning  of  Kelley 
and  not  Wiggins,  saying  that  Wiggins  should  have  had 
the  pardon  and  Kelley  remained  a  prisoner. 

Among  the  most  daring  escapes  I  shall  mention  was 


ESCAPES.  29 

Geo.  W.  Blackburn,  James  Carroll,  and  Mike  Murray, 
in  1877.  Murray  and  Carroll  were  at  work  on  the  new 
cell  house  that  was  being  built  at  that  time.  They 
struck  on  the  scheme  of  going  out  through  the  sewer. 
They  laid  their  plan  before  Blackburn,  who  readily 
agreed,  and  on  the  night  of  December  18,  1877,  they 
made  the  break.  The  sewer  was  built  in  an  elbow 
shape  and  admitted  only  one  at  a  time.  They  all 
started,  Blackburn  bringing  up  the  rear.  On  reaching 
the  outlet  they  found  the  opening  closed  by  heavy  iron 
bars ;  here  they  did  not  know  what  to  do,  finally  they 
concluded  to  try  breaking  the  bars  with  a  hammer  and 
chisel  they  had  taken  with  them,  and  after  several  at- 
tempts they  succeeded  in  breaking  sufficient  space  to  let 
them  through,  Carroll  and  Murray  going  first.  When 
Blackburn  tried  it  he  stuck  fast.  Here  was  a  dilemma — 
he  could  neither  go  forward  nor  back.  As  soon  as  the 
other  two  got  out  they  ran  away,  leaving  him  to  escape 
or  perish.  After  several  attempts,  however,  he  slipped 
through  and  got  away.  He  was  finally  captured  on 
another  charge  and  is  now  serving  the  whole  sentence. 
In  conversation  with  him  recently  he  said  when  he  had 
finished  this  term  he  would  be  through  with  all  crooked- 
ness and  meant  to  lead  an  honest  life.  He  has  several 
patents  which,  in  a  short  time,  will  bring  him  quite  a 
fortune.     One  he  has  already  made  quite  a  success. 

In    1877   John    F.    Hunter,    George    Williams,    Alf. 
Rumer  and  Joe  Dubuque  attempted  an  escape  by  tun- 


30  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

nelling  out  from  the  engine  room  in  the  Patton  contract, 
the  distance  being  about  thirty  feet.  They  dug  the 
tunnel  to  the  wall,  but  owing  to  some  misunderstanding 
they  were  discovered  by  Mr.  Dean  and  their  little 
scheme  knocked  in  the  head. 

Robert  Donnelly  and  Chas.  Mason  escaped  in  1879 
by  scaling  the  wall  one  evening  just  after  they  had  quit 
work. 

George  Grafton  escaped  from  the  guard  room,  Sep- 
tember, 1880,  and  was  recaptured  in  December  of  the 
same  year. 

On  the  24th  of  October,  1880,  Thos.  O'Neil  escaped ; 
it  was  Sunday  afternoon.  He  sawed  the  bar  that  holds 
the  lock  from  his  cell  door,  and  making  a  paddy  of  the 
bedclothes,  using  his  coat  and  pants  to  make  it  appear 
he  was  lying  in  bed,  he  then  swung  himself  up  from 
one  range  to  another  until  he  reached  the  top  of  the 
block  ;  then  by  means  of  some  twine  and  a  stool  he  had 
procured,  he  climbed  up  the  framework  neath  the  roof, 
until  he  reached  the  ventilator.  Here  he  remained 
until  night,  when  he  came  forth  from  his  hiding  place 
and  walked  along  the  roof  until  he  reached  one  of  the 
chimneys  on  the  front  of  the  administration  building ; 
here  he  fastened  his  rope  (made  of  three  strands  of 
small  twine)  around  the  chimney,  and  started  for  the 
ground.  His  rope  was  about  thirty  feet  too  short ;  he 
jumped  this  distance,  spraining  his  ankle,  while  the 
twine  had  burned  his  hands  fearfully.      He  got  away, 


HIDE    OUT.  31 

and  finally  was  recaptured  in  Indiana,  where  he  was 
following  his  old  games. 

Joe  Grubb  and  David  Henderson  escaped  from  the 
hospital  by  crawling  through  one  of  the  small  windows 
at  the  top  used  for  ventilation. 

There  have  been  attempts  to  escape  made  which  the 
officers  discovered  before  they  could  succeed.  One  of 
the  many  attempts  is  the 


HIDE   OUT. 

This  plan  is  to  hide  away  in  the  evening,  just  before  bell 
time,  and  remain  hidden  until  search  is  given  up,  then  go 
over  the  wall ;  but  there  has  never  been  an  escape  from 
hiding  out,  all  the  officers  are  required  to  remain  at 
the  prison  until  the  man  is  found.  They  are  divided 
into  reliefs,  and  under  command  of  the  captain  of  the 
night  watch  they  search  every  nook  and  crook.  It  is 
very  annoying  and  fatigueing  to  the  day  officers  to  be 
compelled  to  remain  and  assist  in  the  search,  after  hav- 
ing performed  their  day's  work  ;  but  this  they^must  do, 
and  often  the  search  lasts  for  three  or  four  days  and 
nights  before  the  prisoner  is  found — and  found  the)^ 
always  have  been.  They  usually  supply  themselves 
with  provision — bread  and  meat — in  order  to  fsatisfy 
nature,  should  they  be  obliged  to  remain  concealed 
longer  than  they  intended. 


32  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


NOTED   CRIMINALS. 

We  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  most  noted  crim- 
inals in  the  institution.  No  doubt  the  reader  is  familiar 
with  the  history  of  that  horrible  crime — the  murder  of 
Herman  Schilling  by  Andrew  Kgner  and  Geo.  Rufer,  of 
Cincinnati,  so  we  will  pass  this  by  and  proceed  to  give 
a  sketch  of  another  Cincinnati  man. 

WILLIAM  BLACKBURN 

Was  received  October  12,  1878,  from  Hamilton  county, 
for  shooting  a  policeinan.  His  term  is  twelve  years  ;  he 
is  enrolled  on  the  books  as  a  common  thief.  His  record 
prior  to  his  incarceration  is  said  to  be  very  bad,  and 
since  coming  to  the  prison  he  has  continued,  so  far  as  in 
his  power,  to  annoy  the  officers  and  make  all  the  trouble 
he  can.  He  has  mutilated  himself  on  several  occasions 
to  keep  from  work  and  get  in  the  hospital.  One  time 
he  deliberately  poured  molten  iron  into  his  boot ;  an- 
other time  sank  a  hatchet  into  his  foot ;  at  one  time 
he  attempted  cutting  his  throat,  but  owing  to  the  dull- 
ness of  the  knife,  and  lack  of  the  proper  amount  of 
nerve,  the  wound  was  very  slight ;  he  drank  vitriol, 
which  came  near  putting  an  end  to  him.  He  was 
locked  up  in  the  asylum  for  quite  a  while,  but  is  now 
working  in  the  toy  shop,  making  children's  carriages, 
where  he  will,  perhaps,  remain  until  he  serves  his  full 
time. 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  33 


WILLIAM  V.  TERRELL 

Is  serving  life  sentence  for  the  murder  of  the  Weldon 
family.  It  is  one  of  the  most  thrilling  and  cold-blooded 
murders  on  record.  He  murdered  the  family — 
brother,  sister  and  daughter — for  money.  He  is  now 
lying  in  the  hospital  in  the  last  stage  of  that  dreaded 
disease,  consumption. 

MORdAN  RICHARDS, 

The  murderer  of  Terrell's  mother,  is  in  the  asylum.  He 
is  a  very  fierce  looking  fellow,  although  not  boisterous, 
or  even  vicious,  but  is  always  talking  to  himself  and 
making  faces  at  any  one  who  goes  near  him.  He  and 
Terrell  occupied  adjoining  cells  in  the  asylum  until  Ter- 
rell— who  is  insane  also — was  removed  to  the  hospital. 

JOHN    RIDDLE, 

The  double  murderer,  is  also  in  the  asylum,  not  that  he 
is  crazy,  but  to  keep  visitors  from  seeing  him  and  where 
he  is  safe  from  harming  any  one.  Riddle  was  sent  up 
from  Shelby  county  for  life,  tor  the  murder  of  Thomas 
Cargo  in  1876.  His  wife,  after  trying  to  have  him  par- 
doned, finally  procured  a  divorce  and  let  him  go.  From 
that  time  on  Riddle  was  a  "holy  terror."  He  played 
crazy,  and  would  make  the  halls  ring  at  night  with  his 
unearthly  yells,  but  during  the  day  was  generally  calm. 
On  New  Year's  day,  1883,  John  became  desperate  and 


34  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


seizing  a  hatchet  that  he  had  stolen  and  hidden  some 
months  previous,  rushed  up  to  a  poor  fellow  prisoner 
and  buried  the  blade  of  the  hatchet  in  his  temple.  The 
name  of  the  prisoner  killed  was  Geo.  Ranch,  a  twenty- 
year  man  from  Fairfield  county ;  he  was  considered  by 
both  officers  and  prisoners  one  of  the  best  prisoners  in 
the  shop.  It  was  one  of  the  most  cowardly  murders 
known  in  the  history  of  the  prison.  Riddle  was  taken 
out  and  tried  for  murder,  but  owing  to  some  very 
expert  testimony  hatched  up  by  some  of  Ohio's  emi- 
nent physicians,  two  out  of  the  twelve  jurymen  con- 
cluded Riddle  must  have  been  insane.  He  will  be 
tried  again  with  probably  the  same  result,  as  the  antici- 
pated change  in  the  present  administration  will  make  it 
difficult  to  secure  the  witnesses  who  are  acquainted  with 
the  case,  they  having  moved  away. 

HENRY  MARTIN 
Is  a  colored  man  sent  up  from  Greene  county,  March, 
1878,  charged  with  obstructing  a  railroad  train.  He  is 
worthy  of  mention,  not  that  he  is  a  bad  man,  but  on 
the  other  hand,  he  is  one  of  the  "trusties"  of  the 
prison,  being  employed  at  the  gas  works  at  night  and 
allowed  the  privilege  of  the  yard.  He  protests  his 
innocence  of  the  crime  charged  with,  and  many  who 
know  him  are  of  the  same  opinion.  He  was  arrested  by 
Larry  Hazen,  a  Cincinnati  detective,  who  received  the 
reward  of    a  thousand  dollars  for  his  capture.      Henry 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  35 

claims  it  was  a  put  up  job  to  get  the  reward,  but  we 
know  nothing  of  the  matter  further  than  he  was  tried^ 
convicted  and  sentenced  to  ten  years  in  the  penitentiary. 
He  was  very  ignorant  when  received,  not  even  knowing" 
the  alphabet,  but  with  the  aid  of  the  officers,  he  has  im- 
proved very  rapidly  and  is  now  a  good  reader.  He  fre- 
quently memorizes  passages  of  scripture  and  recites  them 
in  the  Sunday  morning  prayer  meeting.  It  is  amusing  to 
engage  him  in  conversation,  as  he  uses  so  many  large 
words  not  found  in  Webster,  but  which  seem  to  him  ta 
be  perfectly  proper.  One  time  he  called  at  the  library^ 
and  asked  for  "A  book  with  the  Axle  Trees  of  Under- 
standing," meaning  a  first  reader  with  the  alphabet. 
One  of  his  favorite  books  is  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,  which 
he  has  read  several  times ;  another  is  Stanley's  Travels 
in  Africa.  His  term  of  service  is  drawing  to  a  close, 
he  having  less  than  two  years  yet  to  serve.  There  was 
an  effort  made  the  summer  of  1883  to  have  him  par- 
doned, but  the  governor  refused,  saying  there  was  a 
remonstrance  against  it,  and  he  must  serve  his  sentence. 

I.  B.  CHARLES, 
From  Hancock  county,  is  serving  out  a  life  sentence  for 
the  murder  of  his  wife  and  children  by  poisoning.  He 
is  rather  a  fierce  looking  man,  but  to  see  him  perform- 
ing his  allotted  task  one  would  not  for  a  moment  think 
he  would  be  guilty  of  so  horrible  a  crime.  He  protests 
his  innocence,  claiming  to  be  the  victim  of  a  deep  con- 


S6  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


spiracy  on  the  part  of  some  would-be  friends  in  the 
county.  He  is  a  good  prisoner,  causing  no  trouble 
whatever  to  the  officers,  and  performing  his  daily  labor 
faithfully. 

V.   D.  WASHBURN 

Was  received  from  Summit  county,  Nov.  26th,  1870, 
sent  for  life  for  killing  a  man  who  had  debauched  his 
zvi/e  and  was  connected  with  other  matters  of  a  very 
gross  character.  He  has  a  very  bad  countenance  and  is 
ill  and  hard  to  manage.  There  was  an  application  made 
for  his  pardon  but  the  people  of  Summit  county  remon- 
strated against  it  on  the  ground  of  his  being  a  dangerous 
man  and  not  fit  to  be  at  liberty.  He  met  with  an  acci- 
dent several  years  ago  while  running  a  slab  saw  in  the 
Ohio  Tool  Co.,  Contract ;  two  fingers  of  his  right  hand 
were  sawed  off.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  late  war  and 
has  papers  at  Washington  asking  for  a  pension,  claim- 
ing his  health  was  injured  while  in  the  service. 

JAMES    ERWIX, 

The  murderer  ot  his  insane  son,  was  sent  up  from  Gallia 
county  in  the  summer  of  1880  It  is  one  of  the  most 
sad  cases  that  has  ever  come  under  my  notice.  His 
son  had  been  in  an  asylum  at  two  different  times  and 
when  he  -fbecame  rational  would  be  allowed  to  return 
to  his  home  and  family,  being  a  married  man.  The 
father  in  telling  the  story  says  his  son  had  a  very  violent 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  37 

temper,  and  when  things  did  not  suit  him  he  would  fly 
into  a  passion  and  carry  on  desperately.  At  the  time  of 
the  murder  he  had  become  angry  with  his  mother  and 
abused  her  terribly  and  he  (the  father)  in  trying  to 
straighten  matters  became  the  beseiged,  and,  to  prevent 
being  killed  himself,  shot  his  son,  killing  him  almost 
instantly.  He  said  in  conversation  at  one  time  that  his 
son's  wife  was,  to  a  very  great  extent,  the  cause  of  his 
son's  trouble.  Erwin  is  over  sixty  years  of  age  and  one  of 
the  best  behaved  prisoners  in  the  institution. 

JOHN    COM  LEY, 

From  Green  county,  is  serving  life  sentence.  He  was 
received  in  1878,  for  murder,  and  is  working  in  Patton's 
foundry.  He  was  very  troublesome  for  quite  a  while 
after  he  came  to  the  prison,  being  quarrelsome  and  ill, 
but  recently  there  has  quite  a  change  come  over  him, 
for  the  better.  He  is  now  well  behaved  and  doing  his 
work  in  a  quiet,   orderly  manner. 

VALENTINE  YESKE, 

A  Frenchman,  from  Cincinnati,  was  sent  up  in  1882,  for 
cutting  his  wife's  throat  with  a  razor.  From  what  I 
could  learn  from  him,  concerning  the  matter,  his  wife  had 
become  unfaithful  to  him,  and  after  repeated  trials  upon 
his  part  to  induce  here  to  give  up  her  life  of  shame,  he 
became  so  enraged  that  he  thought  to  take  her  life 
rather  than  have  her  continue  this  downward  course.   He 


38  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

is  insane  and  has  been  in  the  Prison  Asylum  almost  the 
entire  period  of  his  incarceration.  He  has  a  beautiful, 
long,  black  beard  ( which  he  is  allowed  to  wear  )  and  in 
appearance  is  very  gentlemanly.  He  is  pleasant  to  con- 
verse with  and  at  times  talks  very  sensibly. 

WILLIAM  BELCHEM   and  BURREL  DUDLY, 

Were  sent  from  Hamilton  county,  and  are  serving  life 
sentences  for  murder  in  the  2d  degree.  Belchem  killed 
a  man  in  Cincinnati.  They  had  quarreled  over  some 
trivial  affair  when  Belchem  became  so  enraged  that  after 
killing  him  he  stood  upon  the  murdered  man's  body. 
Dudly  killed  his  son,  he  claims,  by  accident,  but  does 
not  deny  that  his  intentions  were  to  kill  some  one,  and  his 
son  was  the  one  who  received  the  death  blow.  He  is 
troubled  with  scrofula  and  recently  had  to  be  taken  ofif 
the  contract  were  he  worked  and  placed  where  the 
work  is  lighter. 

BENJAMIN    ZWITCHER 

Was  prompted  to  the  inhuman  act  of  murdering  his 
father  by  a  dream.  In  giving  the  alleged  cause  for 
committing  the  crime  he  says :  "I  had  been  troubled 
for  a  long  time  with  bad  dreams,  always  dreaming  I 
would  be  murdered  by  some  one.  At  last  I  dreamed 
my  father  intended  to  murder  me  and  in  order  to  save 
myjself  I    must  murder  him.  "     He  is  insane  and  has 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  39 


been  confined  in  the  Prison  Asylum  alnnost  ever  since 
he  was  received.  He  was  sent  from  Belmont  county 
in  1881. 

LOU  HOUK, 

T}ie  Three  Card  Monte  Man,  was  captured  in  California 
and  brought  to  Delaware  county  to  answer  to  the 
charge  of  murder.  He  shot  and  killed  Paul  Lohman,  a 
drummer,  on  a  Columbus  and  Toledo  passenger  train 
in  February,  1878.  He  left  for  the  west  soon  after 
committing  the  dastardly  deed,  and  was  so  successful  in 
eluding  the  detectives  that  five  years  elapsed  before  the 
long  hoped-for  tidings  of  his  whereabouts  b^ame  known. 
Jno.  T.  Norris,  of  Springfied,  O.,  being  the  lucky  man 
to  find  him  and  bring  him  to  justice,  but  with  great  dif- 
ficulties. He  received  a  sixteen  years'  sentence  and  is 
now  engaged  in  making  chairs. 

ROBERT  GARNES, 

Sent  up  from  Union  county,  May  14,  1881,  is  known  to 
have  committed  one  of  the  most  heartless  and  brutal 
murders  ever  recorded  in  history.  It  seems  he  had 
become  infatuated  with  one  of  the  family  at  whose  house 
he  was  making  his  home, and  as  his  affections^ were  not  re- 
ciprocated with  that  ardent  feeling  he  desired,  he  became 
very  jealous.  But  why  did  he  select  an  innocent  old 
lady,  a  boy  of  twelve  3'ears,  and  a  sister,  instead  of  the 
one  whom  he  felt  had  caused  this  bitter  feeling  ?    The 


40  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


lady  to  whom  he  was  attached,  and  her  sister,  were  in- 
vited by  some  friends  out  sleighing,  and  while  they  were 
away  he  came  to  the  house  and  committed  the  horrible 
triple  murder.  He  was  not  even  suspicioned  at  first, 
but,  as  in  almost  all  cases,  his  actions  "gave  him 
away  "  and  he  was  arrested,  tried,  and  found  guilty  of 
murder  in  the  second  degree.  He  is  a  light  mulatto 
with  almost  an  expressionless  face.  He  is  very  unruly 
and  has  caused  considerable  trouble  since  his  incarcera- 
tion, having  one  of  those  peculiar  ways  that  when  he 
thinks  he  has  done  sufficient  work  he  sits  down  and  lets 
the  rules  of  the  institution  be  carried  out  without  any 
resistance  whatever. 

THOMAS   H.  ARGO, 

Sent  up  from  Union  County,  January  17,  1884,  has  his 
share  of  public  comment.  His  charge  is  the  murder  of 
his  sister-in-law  ;  his  sentence  twenty  years.  He  is  rather 
a  nice  looking  man,  above  medium  height,  and  about 
thirty  years  of  age.  The  story  of  his  crime  as  published 
in  the  newspapers  is  as  follows  :  The  body  of  his  sister- 
in-law  was  found  in  the  creek  and  the  supposition  at 
first  was  that  she  had  committed  suicide  by  drowning, 
but  upon  further  investigation  the  horrible  discovery  was 
made  that  she  had  been  murdered  and  her  body  placed 
in  the  water  for  concealment.  Argo  was  not  sus- 
picioned at  first,  but  his  actions  at  the  inquest  and  after- 
ward, led  to  suspicion,  and  finally  arrest,  trial,  and  con- 


NOTED  CRIMINALS.  4 1 

viction.  The  people  who  attended  the  trial  became  so 
incensed  at  the  testimony  that  was  produced  against 
him  that  they  organized  a  mob  to  lynch  him,  and  had 
it  not  been  for  the  heroic  and  active  movements  of  the 
sheriff  to  thwart  them,  he  undoubtedly  would  have  paid 
the  penalty  of  his  dastardly  crime  by  swinging  from  some 
tree.  When  received  at  the  prison  and  the  great  iron 
gate  swung  shut  behind  him  he  give  a  deep  sigh  of  re- 
lief and  expressed  himself  as  glad  that  he  was  inside  the 
Ohio  Penitentiary.  Since  his  conviction  and  sentence 
there  has  been  quite  a  current  of  items  come  to  light 
charging  him  with  the  murder  of  his  father  and  first 
wife  (having  been  married  twice)  by  poisoning,  but  as  to 
the  truth  of  these  assertions  the  writer  is  unable  to  say. 
He  is  in  Patton's  moulding  rooms  with  fair  prospects  of 
becoming  a  practical  workman  ere  he  regains  his  liberty. 

JERRY  LYNCH 
Entered  the  Ohio  Penitentiary  for  life  July  20th,  1870, 
for  the  murder  of  Uriah  Sears,  of  Cincinnati.  He  is  a 
man  of  medium  height,  rather  spare  built,  black  hair 
and  eyes  ;  he  was  but  twenty-three  years  old  when  re- 
ceived, but  now  he  is  looking  much  older  than  he  really 
is.  Prison  confinement  has  plainly  left  its  mark  from 
anxiety  and  regret.  Jerry  is  a  good  prisoner  ;  in  all  the 
fourteen  years  of  his  imprisonment  has  he  kept  his 
record  clear  without  one  black  mark.  He  is  quiet  and 
respectful   to  all,  and   does  his  work  with  neatness  and 


42  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


precision.  Although  his  crime  was  one  of  the  worst 
known  at  that  time  to  the  citizens  of  Cincinnati,  the 
universal  opinion  of  those  whom  I  have  heard  speak  of 
him  is  that  he  has  fully  atoned  for  his  crime  and  ought 
to  be  liberated.  I  have  heard  there  is  a  petition  in  cir- 
culation asking  his  pardon,  which,  if  successful,  will 
meet  the  hearty  approval  of  all  whom  I  have  heard 
mention  his  case, 

PHILIP    STINEMETZ 

Was  sent  from  Lucas  county  April  12th,  1870,  for  life, 
his  charge  being  murder  in  the  first  degree.  He  was 
sentenced  to  be  hanged,  but  the  sentence  was  commuted 
to  life  imprisonment  by  Governor  Hayes.  He  denies 
that  he  ever  committed  the  murder.  His  story  is  as 
follows  :  He  and  a  boy  (name  not  known)  were  out 
hunting,  when  the  boy  wanted  to  shoot  at  a  mark, 
which  he  (Stinemetz)  finally  consented  to  let  him  do. 
The  boy, pointed  the  gun  toward  a  house  and  fired; 
soon  the  discovery  was  made  that  the  boy  had  killed 
some  one  in  the  house.  But  owing  to  facts  brought  to 
light  at  the  trial,  there  remains  but  little  doubt  that  he 
(Stinemetz)is  the  guilty  one.  He  is  working  in  the  Hayden 
buckle  shops.  He  is  quiet  and  reserved,  seldom  asking 
his  guard's  permission  for  anything.  His  health  has 
been  exceptionally  good,  but  at  one  time,  nir.e  or  ten 
years  after  he  was  received,  he  became  sick,  and  asked 
the  guard  to  excuse  him  from  work.     The  guard,  seeing 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  43 


he  was  sick,  immediately  gave  him  a  pass  to  the  hospi- 
tal. Philip's  first  question  upon  receiving  permission  to 
go  was  :  "  Where  is  the  hospital  ?  "  He  had  been  there 
this  length  of  time  and  did  not  know  where  the  hospital 
was,  as  he  had  never  had  occasion  to  go  there.  There 
have  been  several  efforts  made  for  his  release,  but  with- 
out success.  , 

WILLIAM  BERNER, 
Whose  verdict  (guilty  of  manslaughter,  and  sentenced 
to  twenty  years'  imprisonment)  aroused  the  people  of 
Cincinnati  to  open  violence  of  law  and  order,  that  they 
might  be  avenged  upon  the  mockery  oflazv  they  claim  had 
been  practiced  upon  them.  Innocent  people  were  hurled 
into  eternity,  and  many  homes  made  sad  and  desolate 
by  the  outbreak.  To  look  at  the  boyish  form  and  fea- 
tures of  Berner,  one  can  scarcely  realize  that  he  is  the 
one  who,  both  directly  and  indirectly,  caused  such  an 
uprising  of  the  people  and  the  shedding  of  innocent 
blood;  but  undoubtedly  it  is  the  same  William  Berner, 
silently  filling  the  moulds  and  cautiously  watching  his 
guard,  thinking  that  in  the  eye  of  the  ofificer  he  may 
ascertain  whether  or  not  his  work  is  meeting  with  ap- 
proval. He  is  seventeen  years  of  age,  fair  complex- 
ioned,  blue  eyes  and  light  hair,  five  feet  eight  inches  in 
height,  and  weighs  one  hundred  and  forty  pounds.  His 
statistical  record  shows  him  as  having  a  common  school 
education.      He  was  born   in  Cincinnati,  and   gave  his 


44  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

occupation  as  a  clerk.  His  parents  are  living,  and  are 
members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  He  was  living  at 
home  with  his  parents  at  the  time  he  committed  the 
murder.  While  confined  in  jail  he  confessed  to  the  ter- 
rible crime,  and  gave  in  detail  how  the  murder  was  com- 
mitted, but  at  the  trial  he  plead  "  not  guilty,"  and  upon 
the  prison  register  is  shown  that  he  did  it  by  advice  of 
hi^  attorneys.  When  he  arrived  at  the  prison  he  pre- 
sented a  very  forlorn  and  dejected  appearance,  having 
escaped  from  the  officers  who  had  him  in  charge  at 
Loveland  Junction,  some  distance  from  Cincinnati,  by 
reason  of  the  mob  capturing  the  train.  He  wandered 
around  for  some  time  trying  to  wend  his  way  back  to 
the  city,  little  dreaming  of  the  not  and  bloodshed  that 
was  at  that  very  time  taking  place  on  account  of  him 
and  his  escape.  The  writer  visited  his  cell  the  following 
morning  after  his  arrival,  and,  upon  asking  him  how  he 
felt,  he  replied  :  "I  feel  badly  ;  I  wish  I  were  out."  I 
then  told  him  what  a  terrible  time  they  were  having  in 
Cincinnati  on  his  account,  and  if  he  were  there  he  would 
be  hanged.  He  looked  amazed,  and  seemed  to  think  it 
incredible.  I  also  asked  him  if  he  wanted  any  books, 
and  his  reply  was:  "Yes,  send  me  a  Bible."  It  was  im- 
possible for  him  to  converse  with  any  one  without  weep- 
ing bitterly,  and  his  frightened  look  and  distorted 
features  were  pfima  facia  evidence  of  his  suffering  and 
feelings.     Thus  we  leave  him,  hoping  that  such  another 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  45 

disastrous  calamity  may  never  again  happen  the  Queen 
City  or  the  State  of  Ohio. 

SARAH   A.   VICTOR 

Was  convicted  at  the  May  term  of  Common  Pleas  Court 
of  Cuyahoga  county,  in  1868,  of  the  crime  of  murder 
in  the  First  Degree,  and  was  sentenced  to  be  hanged  on 
the  3d  day  cf  July,  1868.  She  became  so  worried  and 
confused  during  her  trial  that  at  the  time  of  her  sentence 
she  was  unable  to  comprehend  her  situation,  and  finally 
became  insane,  and  was  placed  in  the  Northern  Asylum, 
near  Cleveland.  On  the  12th  day  of  November,  1868,  by 
virtue  of  a  warrant  of  commutation  issued  on  that  day 
by  the  Governor  of  Ohio,  she  was  ordered  to  be  im- 
prisoned in  the  Penitentiary  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  in 
solitary  confinement  for  life,  which  has  since  been  carried 
into  effect  so  far  as  the  rules  of  the  prison  will  admit. 
Mrs.  Victor  is  of  medium  height,  dark  hair  sprinkled 
with  gray,  and  of  a  mild  and  pleasant  appearance.  In 
her  younger  days  she  was  handsome,  but  years  of  im- 
prisonment and  constant  worry  have  too  plainly  left 
their  mark.  When  placed  behind  the  prison  bars  she 
was  still  insane,  and  did  not  realize  her  condition  or  sit- 
uation,.until  one  day  she  received  a  paralytic  stroke 
which  caused  her  to  fall,  and  the  concussion  of  the  fall 
restored  her  reasoning  power,  and  from  that  time  to  the 
present  she  has  been  perfectly  sane,  and  remembers 
everything  that  transpired  at  the  trial,  up  to  the  verdict 


46  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

and  sentence.  Then  comes  the  blank  in  her  life  till  she 
regains  her  mental  faculties  by  the  stroke.  Much  has 
been  said  of  Mrs.  Victor  by  the  press,  and  it  has  added 
greatly  to  her  sorrow.  While  I  am  writing  this  brief 
history  of  her  for  the  benefit  of  the  reader,  I  confine 
myself  exclusively  to  the  facts  in  her  case,  as  have  been 
told  me  by  herself,  and  what  I  have  seen  from  papers  in 
her  behalf  praying  the  Governor  for  executive  clemency. 
She  said  at  first,  and  still  says,  "  /  am  innocent  of  the 
murder  of  my  brother,"  and  the  echo  by  many  of  the 
leading  men  of  Cleveland,  and  others  who  know  of  her 
case,  is — "I  believe  she  is  innocent,  and  if  she  is  not 
innocent, has  she  not  suffered  sufficiently  to  atone  for  all?" 
She  was  convicted,  as  shown  by  papers  in  the  Gover- 
nor's office,  almost  entirely  on  circumstantial  evidence. 
One  paper,  signed  by  prominent  men,  reads  :  "  Believ- 
ing that  public  welfare  does  not  require  her  for  the  im- 
prisonment, and  that  the  execution  of  the  original  sen- 
tence would  be  abhorrent  to  the  moral  sense  of  this 
community,  we  consider  her  a  fit  subject  of  executive 
clemency,  and  do  therefore  recommend  her  pardon." 
Yet  there  are  those  who  never  dream  that  anything 
short  of  the  full  sentence  would  be  just,  no  testimony 
come  to  light  that  could  in  any  way  change  the  verdict. 
I  have  known  Mrs.  Victor  personally  for  the  past  four 
years,  and  can  truthfully  say  that  in  all  conversations 
with  her  regarding  her  supposed  crime  and  conviction  I 
ave  failed  to  find  the  least  testimony  that  would  siis- 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  47 

picion  her  as  guilty  of  such  a  crime  as  she  is  charged 
with.  Often  have  I  heard  her  say:  "Why  should  I 
want  to  take  the  life  of  my  brother,  who  was  always  kind 
and  loving,  while  I  had  plenty  to  make  me  comfortable?  " 
She  occupies  her  time  doing  fancy  needle  work  and 
reading.  She  seems  cheerful,  and  is  always  pleasant 
and  agreeable  to  talk  with.  Last  summer  a  petition  was 
circulated  asking  for  her  pardon,  and  all  who  were 
asked  to  sign  it  did  so  with  a  willingness  that  shows 
plainly  that  public  sentiment  in  general  is  with  Mrs. 
Victor  and  not  the  cojirt.  There  are  several  hundred 
names  of  men  in  high  standing  signed  to  the  paper,  yet 
there  is  some  technical  point  to  reach  before  the  great 
iron  gates  swing  open  for  her  exit,  and  the  hearts  of  her 
many  friends  made  glad  by  the  fact  that  Sarah  A.  Victor 
is  free. 

ELLEN  ANN  ATHEY 

Is  serving  a  life  sentence  for  the  murder  of  Mary  Senef, 
in  Tuscarawas  county,  in  1881.  She  is  rather  low  in 
stature  and  quite  stout ;  she  has  a  pleasant  countenance, 
and  since  her  incarceration  has  conducted  herself  in  a 
quiet,  lady-like  manner,  winning  the  respect  of  the 
officers  with  whom  she  comes  in  contact.  As  in  the 
case  of  Mrs.  Victor,  the  newspapers  have  expanded 
very  largely  in  her  case,  which  has  caused  her  many 
bitter  tears.  I  shall  give  the  facts  as  far  as  I  know 
and  not   dwell  unnecessarily.     The   story   as  told    me 


48  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

is :  Mrs.  Athey  and  Mary  Senef  were  cousins  and 
Mary  had  come  to  Mrs.  Atiiey's  house  to  live  as  a 
domestic.  One  evening  they  went  to  a  neighbor's 
house  to  spend  the  evening  and  while  on  their  way 
home  a  subject  was  broached  that  was  to  Mrs.  Athey, 
or  any  other  wife,  very  painful  as  well  as  aggravating, 
namely — that  Mary  had  on  different  occasions  been  too 
intimate  with  Mrs.  Athey's  husband.  They,  however, 
reached  home,  and,  as  the  testimony  at  the  trial  shows, 
prepared  to  sleep  together  (Mr.  Athey  being  absent  on 
business)  when,  before  retiring  for  the  night,  the  sub- 
ject was  again  brought  up,  which  ended  in  the  murder 
of  Mary.  The  body  was  found  several  days  later  in  a 
stream  of  water  running  near  the  house  in  which  they 
lived.  At  the  trial  it  was  shown  that  the  murdered 
girl  was  first  buried  in  an  ash  heap  near  the  house,  and 
Mrs.  Athey's  acknowledgment  to  her  husband  and 
brother  disclosed  to  them  the  horrible  fact  of  the  mur- 
der, and  they  removed  the  body  to  the  creek  where  it 
was  discovered.  Mrs.  Athey  is  the  Matrons'  cook,  and 
attends  to  her  duties  with  quiet  diligence  noticeable  by 
all.  Her  prison  record  is  exceptionally  good.  She 
spends  her  leisure  time  reading  good  and  instructive 
books. 

FLORENCE    GOLDSBOROUGH 

Was  received   Nov.    20th,    1882.      Her  charge  is  grand 
larceny ;  term — seven  years.     She  is  thirty-eight  years 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  49 


old,  small  in  stature,  black  hair  (which  she  wears 
parted  at  the  side  and  which  gives  her  a  masculine  ap- 
pearance) and  black  eyes.  She  is  serving  her  fourth  term 
which  will,  no  doubt,  impress  the  reader  that  Florence 
has  been  a  bad  girl,  but  since  her  last  incarceration  she 
has  conducted  herself  well,  and  as  yet  has  a  clear 
record.  Several  years  ago  she  conceived  the  idea  that 
if  she  were  to  dress  in  male  attire  her  path  through  this 
world  of  weal  and  woe  might  be  somewhat  smoother 
and  more  pleasant,  than  were  she  to  wear  the  petticoats 
and  flounces,  therefore  in  male  attire  she  started  out. 
Her  first  undertaking  in  the  line  of  work  was  house- 
painting,  she  readily  learned  to  handle  the  brush  and  mix 
the  paints,  earning  for  herself  a  reputation  worthy  the 
note  of  a  professional.  The  summer  following  her  ar- 
rival at  the  prison,  she  painted  the  woodwork  of  the  in- 
terior of  the  female  department,  and  the  designs  of  bor- 
der and  blendings  of  delicate  colors  show  her  to  be  well 
skilled  in  the  profession.  At  one  time,  being  out  of 
employment,  she  went  to  Cleveland  and  hired  to  the 
Street  Railway  Company  as  car  driver,  remaining  there 
quite  a  long  time,  and  from  accounts,  rendered  satisfac- 
tion. She  afterward  migrated  to  Columbus  and  found 
employment  as  assistant  shipping  clerk  in  some  whole- 
sale hardware  store.'  Next  we  find  her  in  Cincinnati 
clerking  in  a  drug  store,  then  in  Coshocton,  Ohio,  as 
hostler  in  a  livery  stable.  Leaving  this  place  bhe  went 
back  to  Cincinnati,  and  drove  a  delivery  wagon  and  was 


50  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

there  arrested  for  disguising  in  male  attire  but  was  re- 
leased with  the  understanding  that  she  would  leave  the 
city,  which  she  was  only  to  glad  to  do.  She  again 
canne  to  Columbus  and  finally  hired  as  a  farm  hand  to 
some  farmer  living  near  the  city,  where  she  was  still 
working  when  arrested  for  the  present  charge.  She 
say's  she  is  innocent  of  the  charge,  that  the  money  was 
stolen  by  a  discarded  son  of  the  farmer,  who  was  driven 
from  the  parental  roof  on  account  of  his  worthlessness. 
We  know  nothing  of  this  matter,  however,  and  only 
give  het  story  of  it.  We  do  know  she  was  found  guilty 
and  sentenced  to  seven  years  imprisonment.  The 
matron  said  of  her  recently,  in  conversation  with  the 
writer,  that  she  is  one  of  the  best  behaved  prisoners 
under  her  charge. 

By  way  of  concluding  this  part  we  will  give  a  brief 
account  of 

DARING    ROBERT  McKIMIE, 

Who  is  looked  upon  by  all  who  have  ever  heard  of  him, 
as  a  desperado,  was  received  from  Highland  county  in 
1879,  f'O'"  fiv^  years,  for  burglary.  He  was  afterward 
taken  to  the  counties  of  Pike  and  Ross,  each  giving  him 
five  years,  making  in  all  fifteen  years  he  is  to  remain 
an  inmate  of  the  O.  P.,  unless  sooner  discharged  by 
reason  of  good  conduct.  Bob's  past  record  is  extremely 
bad,  even  should  one-half  that  has  been  told  be  true. 
In  1872  he  was  captain  of  a  gang  of  highway  robbers  in 


NOTED    CRIMINALS.  5  I 

the  west,  and  a  band  of  outlaws  on  the  frontier,  but 
they  finally  made  it  too  hot  for  him  and  he  skipped 
for  the  east  to  avoid  stretching  Jiemp.  He  came  to 
Ohio,  the  home  of  his  childhood,  and  started  in  business, 
after  marrying  a  farmer's  daughter,  in  Highland  county, 
but  the  detectives  soon  traced  him  to  his  hiding  place 
and  captured  him  in  1878.  He  escaped  from  jail  by 
overpowering  the  turnkey  and  threatening  to  shoot  him 
with  a  revolver  furnished  him  by  a  woman  who  occa- 
sionally visited  him.  He  traveled  over  the  west  and 
at  last  returned  to  Highland  county,  and  with  others 
engaged  in  the  old  crimes  of  burglary  and  robbery.  He 
had  some  trouble  with  one  of  his  pals  who  afterward 
betrayed  him  and  caused  his  second  arrest,  after  a  des- 
perate struggle  for  liberty;  he  fought  till  the  last,  being 
wounded  several  times  before  surrendering.  He  re- 
marked upon  entering  the  prison,  "I'll  stay  but  a  short 
time,"  but  at  this  writing.  Bob  is  still  within  the  walls,  a 
sadder,  if  not  a  wiser  man.  He  is  v/orking  in  the 
Cooper  Shop. 


52 


PART    II. 

Interesting  Statistics — Number  of  Prisoners — Those  Serving 
the  Longest  Period — The  Alleged  Cause  of  Conviction 
— Intoxication — Age  of  Self  Support — Nativity — Educa- 
tional Statistics — The  Family  Relation — Parental  Church 
Relations — Occupation  Prior  to  their  Arrest — Terms  of 
Sentence — Personal  Pleas — The  Use  of  Tobacco — The 
Library — The  Favorite  Books — Letters  from  Home — How 
they  are  Received — Poem — No  Letter  yet — Paper  Mail 
— ^The  Class  of  Papers  Admitted — The  Work  of  Handling 
the  Mail,  and  the  Class  of  Convicts  Employed  to  Dis- 
tribute, after  Examination. 


INTERESTING  STATISTICS. 

There  are  now  confined  within  the  walls  of  the 
Ohio  Penitentiary  about  fourteen  hundred  prisoners, 
twenty  of  the  number  being  females.  The  number  is 
seldom  the  same  for  two  days,  as  they  are  being  dis- 
charged almost  daily  by  expiration  of  sentence,  some 
are  pardoned,  and  occasionally  one  dies.  The  death 
rate  is  about  twenty  a  year,  and  pardons,  nearly  seventy 
five.  There  have  been  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  life- 
time prisoners  received  in  the  institution  since  1835,  o^ 
53 


54  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

which  number  eighty-seven  are  there  to-day,  leaving  a 
difference  of  ninety-one  that  have  been  removed  by  par- 
don and  death.  Ferdinand  Seitz  served  the  longest 
period,  being  a  prisoner  thirty  five  years,  three  months 
and  twenty-six  days.  He  was  pardoned  by  Gov.  Fos- 
ter in  1 88 1.  He  was  sent  from  Hamilton  county  for 
murder  in  the  second  degree.  Horace  Brooks  comes 
next  on  the  list,  having  served  thirty-one  years,  eight 
m.onths  and  two  days.  W.  Buckmaster  was  received 
Oct.  15th,  i860.  He  has  served  over  twenty-four 
years,  and  is  still  living,  but  is  now  in  very  feeble 
health.  John  C.  Corder  has  been  an  inmate  of  the  Ohio 
Penitentiary  for  over  eighteen  years  and  is  hale  and 
hearty ;  he  works  in  the  cooper  shop,  getting  his 
work  done  in  time  to  rest  or  go  to  the  Deputy's  or 
Chaplain's  office  for  a  chat.  He  seems  perfectly  re- 
signed to  his  lot  and  is  always  pleasant  and  gentlemanly 
when  addressed  by  any  one. 

Among  the  number  who  give  the  alleged  cause  for 
their  crimes  we  find  many  who  were  advised  by  their  at- 
torneys to  plead  guilty  in  order  to  receive  lighter  sen- 
tence. Bad  company  is  also  given  by  many,  especially 
the  boys  and  young  men  ;  some  plead  ignorance  of  the 
law,  which,  no  doubt,  is  the  truth  in  some  cases.  Des- 
titution is  given,  their  plea  being,  they  could  not  pro- 
cure work,  and  would  not  starve.  Insanity  is  given  in 
a  few  cases ;  also  revenge  is  one  of  the  many  causes.  In 
one  instance,   I  remember  a  German  of  the  name  Ru- 


INTOXICATION.  55 


dolph  Ladda,  who  set  fire  to  his  employer's  barn,  burn- 
ing a  large  amount  of  grain,  because  he  did  not  receive 
a  small  sum  of  money  which  he  claimed  was  due  him. 
He  is  now  serving  a  twelve  years'  sentence  for  the  rash 
act.  Quite  a  number  plead  self-defense.  I  have 
noticed  in  two  or  three  instances  the  naughty  word 
spite,  as  a  given  cause.  Others  are  sharp  enough  to 
know  that  by  pleading  guilty  they  will  get  off  with  a 
lighter  sentence,  as  tne  cost  ol  prosecution  is  generally 
considered  when  the  prisoner  stands  trial.  Occasionally 
we  see  one  who  says  the  temptation  was  so  strong  he 
could  not  resist.  One  case  only  is  shown  where  plead- 
ing guilty  to  save  a  parent  from  disgrace — a  yowig 
11  Oman  pleads  guilty  to  the  charge  of  larceny  to  save  her 
father  who  was  sure  of  being  convicted  should  she  re- 
main silent.      Last  but  not  least,  is  the  old,  old  cause — 


INTOXICATION. 

"I  was  drunk,  or  I  never  should  have  thought  of 
committing  the  crime,  "  how  often  do  we  hear.  Nearly 
two-thirds  of  the  pleas  of  guilty  are,  when  traced  back, 
directly  or  indirectly  through  intoxication.  Yet,  while 
the  cry  is  everywhere  around  us — "  Whiskey  is  the  cause 
of  my  trouble ;  if  it  had  not  been  for  whiskey  I  might 
have  held  a  prominent  place  in  society. "  They  must 
all,  on  reflection,  arrive  at  the  same  conclusion — have 
man  enough  to  resist  the    dreaded  cup.     It  all  remains 


56  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

with  them  whether  they  shall  resist  and  banish  the 
accursed  stuff,  or  whether  they  shall  go  down  to  ruin 
and  disgrace,  the  Penitentiary,  or  a  drunkard's  grave. 
The  records  show  nearly  one  thousand  out  of  the  four- 
teen hundred  to  be  of  intemperate  habits. 

Nearly  one-seventh  of  the  number  of  prisoners  are 
colored,  showing  a  greater  number  of  colored  than  is  in 
proportion  to  the  population  of  colored  and  white  in  the 
State.  This  is  largely  attributed  to  the  fact  that  the 
colored  man  is  not  so  well  acquainted  with  the  law,  or 
in  other  words,  ignorance  of  the  law  as  shown  in  the 
alleged  causes. 

Boys  under  twenty-one  years  of  age  number  nearly 
two  hundred — young  men  just  starting  out  in  life,  mak- 
ing the  Penitentiary  the  first  step — some  are  only  six- 
teen years  of  age.  How  sad  that  mother  must  feel  to 
see  her  boy  go  to  ruin,  after  she  has  toiled,  almost  worn 
her  life  out,  to  raise  him  to  be  a  comfort  to  her  in  her 
old  age.  Boys,  you  who  read  these  columns,  never 
forget  the  teachings  of  father  and  mother,  they  may 
seem  too  exact  at  times,  may  expect  too  much  of  you, 
seemingly,  but  think  for  a  moment — is  it  not  prompted 
by  their  love  for  you  ?  Is  it  not  because  your  future 
welfare  and  happiness  is  ever  on  their  minds  ?  Who  of 
you  could  truthfully  answer,  *'  no  ?  " 

SELF    SUPPORT. 

Almost   three    hundred,   as    shown  in  the  statistical 


EDUCATIONAL    STATISTICS.  57 


records,  left  home  under  fifteen  years  of  age,  intending 
to  earn  their  own  living  or  perhaps,  as  is  often  the  case, 
help  to  support  a  widowed  mother,  a  little  brother  or 
sister. 

NATIVITY. 

There  are  about  two  hundred  prisoners  in  the  institu- 
tion who  were  foreign  born,  Germany  having)  the 
greatest  number,  there  being  nearly  thirty  ;  Ireland  stands 
next  with  about  twenty  ;  England  has  fifteen.  There 
are  here  represented  Australia,  Bolivia,  France,  Holland, 
Nova  Scotia,  Prussia,  Switzerland,  Scotland,  Spain  and 
Wales.  There  was  recently  received  one  who  gave  the 
ocean  as  his  birthplace.  The  reader  will  see  that  nearly 
all  nations  of  the  world  are  represented  in  the  Ohio 
Penitentiary. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  give  the 

EDUCATIONAL    STATISTICS. 

There  are  about  seventy-five  prisoners  who  can 
neither  read  nor  write  ,  nearly  the  same  number  who 
can  only  read,  and  about  eight  hundred  who  can  read 
and  write,  two  hundred  having  a  common  school  educa- 
tion ;  this  signifies  a  fair  knowledge  of  all  the  branches 
taught  in  our  public  schools.  There  are  a  number  who 
have  high  school  and  collegiate  educations.  I  know 
prisoners  personally,  who  are  drudging  out  their  long 


58  THK    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

sentences,  who  are,  as  far  as  educational  qualifications 
are  concerned,  competent  of  holding  high  positions  as 
instructors  of  our  modern  languages.  But  such  is  fate. 
To  look  upon  the  wrecks  of  fallen  humanity  one  may 
well  say — we  are  living  in  a  world  of  wonders. 


THE  FAMILY  RELATIONS. 

Show  that  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  inmates  are  single 
men,  which,  to  say  the  least,  speaks  in  fair  terms  of 
those  who  have  taken  upon  themselves  the  holy  bonds 
of  matrimony.  Many  a  wife,  as  well  as  mother,  has 
saved  the  erring  one  from  the  penitentiary  by  loving 
words  and  tender  pleadings. 


PARENTAL  CHURCH  RELATIONS 

Will,  no  doubt,  be  interesting  to  the  reader.  First  we 
will  take  the  Methodists  (all  bodies),  which  shows  the 
largest  number,  there  being  one  hundred  and  fifty  who 
claim  their  parents  were  Methodists.  The  Catholics 
rank  next,  the  number  being  nearly  the  same  as  Meth- 
odists. There  are  Baptists,  Episcopalians,  Disciples, 
German  Reform,  Lutherans,  Friends,  Dunkards,  Pres- 
byterians, United  Brethren  and  Jewish ;  also  quite  a 
number  who  were  not  members  of  any  church,  and 
some  who  do  not  know    whether   their    parents    were 


TERMS    OF    SENTENCE.  59 

members  of  church  or  not,  as  the  parents  died  when  the 
children  were  quite  small. 
We  now  give  the  various 

OCCUPATIONS 

Prior  to  their  imprisonment.  The  greater  number  are 
enrolled  as  common  laborers  ;  but  we  see  book  keepers, 
clerks,  commercial  agents,  farmers,  lawyers,  mechanics, 
peddlers,  physicians,  saloon  keepers,  stenographers, 
sailors,  school  teachers,  telegraphers,  and  followers  of 
various  other  vocations,  all  enrolled  on  the  books  for 
crime,  and  some  of  the  very  deepest  dye. 

TERMS  OF  SENTENCE. 

Over  one  thousand  of  the  number  enrolled  are  serv- 
ing sentences  from  one  to  ten  years ;  over  one  hundred 
are  serving  from  ten  to  twenty  years,  and  eighty-seven 
for  life.  Before  closing  this  chapter  I  will  add  that,  as 
a  general  thing,  the  lifetime  prisoner  is  the  best  behaved 
man  in  the  prison.  He  gives  less  trouble,  is  more  re- 
spectful to  the  officers  and  performs  his  allotted  task 
more  readily  and  willingly  than  those  who  have  shorter 
sentences.  There  are  several  reasons  why  this  is  the 
case :  one  is,  being  sentenced  for  life  their  only  hope  of 
ever  being  liberated  is  through  the  executive  clemency 
of  the  Governor,  and  when  application  is  made  for  par- 


60  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

don  the  Governor  invariably  sends  to  the  Warden  of 
the  prison  for  the  record  showing  his  behavior  since  his 
incarceration  ;  should  it  be  good  it  adds  much  to  his 
chances  for  release;  if  bad,  it  adds  considerably  to  his 
chances  for  staying  a  while  longer.  Another  reason  is: 
as  a  general  thing  the  lifetime  man  is  more  intelligent 
(there  are  exceptions)  and  soon  learns  that  the  right 
way  is  the  better  way  and  governs  himself  accordingly, 
while  on  the  other  hand  a  short-time  prisoner  thinks  he 
has  but  a  short  time  to  stay  at  the  farthest,  and  becomes 
restless  and  daring,  taking  chances  in  doing  some  sly 
work.  But  soon  the  ever-watchful  eye  of  his  guard  is 
resting  on  him  and  the  next  thing  over  he  goes  to  the 
deputy,  then  to  the  punishing  room,  and  when  the 
clerk  reads  the  offense  list,  there  is  his  name  with  one, 
two  or  five  days'  time  taken  from  him,  which  means  he 
has  lost  the  benefit  of  the  good  time  allowed  him  and 
his  record  broken,  while  the  lifetime  man  glides  on,  a 
good  prisoner. 

PERSONAL  PLEAS. 

The  number  who  plead  guilty  is  but  little  over  half 
the  number  received.  There  are  about  ninety  prisoners 
who  have  been  in  prison  before ;  some  serving  the 
third,  fourth,  fifth,  and  even  sixth  terms.  There 
recently  died  in  the  hospital  an  old  man  of  the  name 
Miller,  who  was  serving  his  sixth  sentence   for  horse 


LIBRARY.  6l. 

Stealing.  He  was  "given  away"  the  last  time  by  leav- 
ing a  leather  cane,  which  had  been  made  in  the  prison, 
in  the  stable  from  which  he  had  taken  the  horse.  In 
his  hurry  he  forgot  it,  and  when  search  was  made  it  was 
found  and  soon  identified  by  some  one  who  knew  him 
and  had  seen  him  have  it.  He  said  he  was  guilty  every 
time  except  the  first,  being  entirely  innocent  of  that 
charge. 

TOBACCO 

Is  a  great  comfort  to  the  "boys,"  and  they  nearly  all 
use  it.  Warden  Thomas,  in  order  to  supply  the  de- 
mand with  a  better  quality  and  with  less  expense, 
started  a  manufactory,  which  has,  so  far,  proved  suc- 
cessful. They  receive  a  four  ounce  plug  every  Satur- 
day night  which  is  far  superior  in  quality  to  that  which 
they  were  formerly  supplied  with,  and  double  the 
amount.  The  steward  purchases  the  tobacco  by  the 
hogshead,  from  tobacco  dealers  in  Cincinnati,  which 
enables  him  to  examine  and  purchase  nothing  but  a 
good  article. 

LIBRARY. 

The  prison  library  contains  nearly  eight  thousand 
books,  classified  as  follows :  Bibles,  Bible  Commen- 
taries, Testaments,  School  Books,  Regular  Library 
Books,  and  Periodicals. 


.62  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

Each  prisoner  is  furnished  with  a  catalogue  of  the 
Library,  which  contains  the  rules  governing  it,  showing 
how  they  are  to  order  and  take  care  of  their  books. 
This  was  adopted  during  the  last  administration.  The 
former  way  was  considered  an  injustice  to  the  prisoners. 
They  were  changed  from  one  cell  to  another  and  the 
prisoner  seldom,  if  ever,  got  the  kind  of  reading  mat- 
ter he  desired,  while  under  the  present  arrangement, 
the  Librarian  is  familiar  with  the  class  of  reading  mat- 
ter each  prisoner  desires,  and  can,  to  a  great  extent, 
supply  him  with  it.  The  condition  of  the  Library  at 
this  writing  is  first  class  in  every  respect ;  none  but 
standard  works  have  been  purchased  and  all  per- 
nicious reading  matter  has  been  destroyed.  The  pris- 
oners, as  a  rule,  prefer  light  reading,  and  consequently 
books  of  fiction  are  in  the  greatest  demand,  nearly 
two-thirds  of  the  orders  received  are  for  books  of  fiction. 
Some  become  poetical  in  their  requests,  for  example  : 

"  Please  send  me  a  book  wherein  the  sage 
Commits  a  murder  on  ever}^  page  ; 
And  were  suicides  are  dispersed 
Throughout  the  book  in  charming  verse. 
If  any  such  are  in  your  possession, 
Pray  send  me  one,  or  make  confession, 
That  'tis  against  the  rules  of  the  institution 
To  make  of  such  books  a  distribution.  " 

Davy  Crocket  is  almost  daily  called  for,  and  Kit  Car- 


LIBRARY.  63 

son  is  also  a  great  favorite.  After  carefully  studying  by 
what  method  the  minds  of  those  who  had  been  reading 
the  low,  tr^ishy  literature  could  be  turned  to  a  higher 
and  more  beneficial  class  of  reading  matter,  it  was  de- 
cided to  try  humorous  works,  which  have  proved  to  a 
great  extent  quite  successful.  There  has  been  pur- 
chased every  humorous  work  that  could  be  found  in 
print.  You  will  find  in  the  library  all  of  Mark  Twain's 
works,  Josiah  Allen's  writings,  Wit  and  Wisdom,  by 
Smith,  and  even  a  number  of  copies  of  Peck's  Bad  Boy. 
Many  have  expressed  the  pleasure  derived  upon  finding 
one  of  these  laughable  books  in  his  cell  when  he  re- 
turned from  his  daily  toil,  tired  in  body  and  depressed 
in  spirit.      But  the  one  great  joy  for  the  lonely  one  is 

A    LETTER    FROM    DEAR    ONES    AT    HOME. 

The  letter  mail  numbers  over  seven  hundred  a  week, 
and  in  that  number  both  joy  and  sorrow  are  mingled. 
In  one  you  read — "  We  are  all  well,  and  think  of  you 
often;"  while  in  the  next  you  may  read, — the  tear 
stains  and  black  border  are  more  significant  even  than 
words — in  a  few  broken  words,  the  story  of  the  death 
of  the  dearest  one  on  earth  to  the  lonely  convict.  Words 
can  never  express  the  bitter  anguish  that  is  experienced 
almost  daily  in  those  lonely  cells.  The  letters  are  all 
opened  at  the  Clerk's  ofifice,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Warden,  and  should  there  be  money  enclosed  it  is  taken 
out  and   properly  credited   to  the  prisoner.     Then  the 


64  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


letters  are  passed  to  the  Chaplain's  office,  and  each  one 
carefully  read  before  passing  it  to  the  prisoner,  in  order 
to  see  that  nothing  is  written  that  would  be  injurious  to 
the  convict  or  the  institution.  Huge  plans  for  escape 
have  been  prevented  in  this  way.  The  letters  are  then 
marked  and  delivered  to  the  cells,  where  they  (the  pris- 
oners) find  them  upon  entering  to  be  locked  up  for  the 
night.  The  prisoners — those  who  keep  their  record 
clear — have  the  privilege  of  writing  once  a  month.  This 
was  recently  adopted,  and  works  very  satisfactorily. 
Under  the  old  rule  they  were  allowed  to  write  only  once 
every  three  months,  while  under  the  present  rule  they 
can  write  once  a  month  so  long  as  they  conduct  them- 
selves properly.  Many  convicts  who  were  incorrigible 
prior  to  the  adoption  of  this  system  are  now  conducting 
themselves  properly,  and  do,  with  smiling  faces,  ap- 
proach the  Deputy,  and  say :  "  My  time  is  to  write  ; 
my  record  is  clear;  may  I  write  1"  Mr.  Dean's  reply  is: 
"Yes,  my  boy,  here  is  a  ticket."  Thus  hearts  are 
made  glad  with  the  thought  of  having  the  privilege  of 
writing  to  father,  mother,  wife,  sister  and  brother,  telling 
them  how  they  received  the  privilege  to  write,  the  length 
of  time  yet  to  stay  before  they  can  meet  them  at  the 
home  circle.  Some  grow  restless  at  delay  or  silence, 
and  think  their  friends  have  forsaken  them.  There  was 
recently  found  in  a  cell  occupied  by  a  man  named  Rob- 
erts the  following  verses  : 


PAPER    MAIL.  65 


"  Days  drag  their  lengthened  chains  along, 

And  weeks  together  knit ; 
I  watch  and  hope  and  wait, 

Yet  still  in  doubt  I  sit. 

No  letter  yet !  A  thousand  thoughts 

In  quick  rebellion  start. 
And  crowned  with  unnumbered  ills 

Within  this  watching  heart. 

You  are  forgetful  now,  perhaps. 

Of  your  promise  to  write ; 
Others  may  occupy  your  thoughts. 

But  please  write  to  nie  to-night. 

The  days  drag  on  their  weary  length, 

Yet  still  I  trust  io  fate  j 
And  still  rewarded  I  may  be 

If  still  I  watch  and  wait." 

We  will  now  give  a  brief  history  of  the 


PAPER  MAIL. 

No  doubt  people  who  know  nothing  of  the  institution 
think  the  convicts  know  nothing  of  what  is  happening 
upon  the  outside,  but  in  this  they  are  greatly  mistaken. 
There  are  nearly  three  thousand  weekly  newspapers 
from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  distributed  among 
the  prisoners  every  week.      Daily  papers  are  not  ad- 


()^  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


mitted,  not  on  account  of  objectionable  matter  there 
might  be  contained  therein,  but  it  would  be  impossible 
to  handle  them  properly,  as  each  paper  has  to  be  exam- 
ined closely,  and  if  all  right,  the  name,  number,  and 
number  of  cell  to  which  it  belongs  must  be  written  on 
the  margin  in  red  ink,  the  rules  of  the  libmry. 
Should  the  paper  be  placed  in  the  wrong  cell  by  mistake 
it  is  easily  discovered  and  rectified.  Many  attempts  to 
convey  to*  prisoners  articles  of  some  description  con- 
tained in  newspapers,  have  been  discovered,  which 
necessitates  constant  watching.  As  to  their  being 
posted  on  outside  matters  they  most  assuredly  are. 
You  or  I  will  take  up  a  paper,  glance  over  the  locals, 
and  lay  it  aside  ;  the  convict  grasps  it  eagerly  and 
does  not  think  to  lay  it  down  until  he  has  completely 
devoured  every  word  it  contains  and  in  many  cases  they 
have  been  known  to  memorize  every  word  and  repeat  it 
to  themselves  while  at  their  work.  They  have  other 
ways  of  obtaining  news  ;  there  are  always  employed  in 
the  working  shops  a  number  of  citizens,  and  through 
them  they  receive  news,  although  it  is  strictly  forbidden. 
Among  the  papers  received  are  the  New  York  Sun 
and  Herald,  Cincinnati  Enquirer,  Gazette  and  News 
Journal,  Chicago  Times,  Tribune  and  Witness,  St.  Louis 
Globe-Democrat  and  Republican,  and  many  papers 
from  other  cities.  The  first  paper  they  ask  for  is  the 
one  from  the  county  from  which  they  were  sent,  show- 
ing plainly  their  first  thoughts  are  of  home  and  friends. 


PAPER    MAIL.  ^"J 


Many  prisoners  have  no  friends,  or  if  they  have  they 
(friends)  are  not  aware  of  their  incarceration,  conse- 
quently they  are  compelled  to  get  the  paper  from  some 
convict  friend  after  he  has  fully  satisfied  himself  with  its 
contents.  The  rules  governing  papers  allow  one  trans- 
fer, by  sending  the  paper  to  the  library  with  the  name 
and  number  of  the  one  he  wishes  to  have  it.  The 
name  is  written  in  red  ink,  same  as  explained  before, 
with  the  word  "transfer"  added,  showing  how  the  paper 
was  changed  to  the  other  cell. 

The  work  of  handling  the  papers,  books  and  letters 
requires  more  mental  and  physical  labor  than  is  gener- 
ally supposed.  It  requires  an  excellent  memory  and  a 
good  classical  education  on  the  part  of  the  convicts 
employed  in  that  work.  The  newspaper  men  usually 
enlarge  wonderfully  when  a  convict,  who  has  figured  in 
high  life  on  the  outside  gets  a  position  as  clerk  in 
library  or  hospital,  or  some  "soft  snap,"  as  they  term  it, 
but  if  they  would  only  think  or  investigate  a  little  be- 
fore writing  such  articles,  they  would  find  (as  the  officers 
of  the  prison  well  know)  few  convicts  who  are  qualified  to 
be  placed  in  such  positions,  as  there  is  more  than  educa- 
tional qualifications  to  be  considered.  Their  education 
may  be  good,  their  record  may  be  bad,  therefore  they 
could  not  be  entrusted  to  these  places. 


PA  RT    III. 

Literary  Prisoners — The  Last  Greeting — The  Liquor  Dealer's 
Reflection — The  Exile — Friend  Jake's  Letter — The  Moon- 
shiners— Never  Lost  Sight  Of — To  a  Lady  Friend  — The 
Prisoner's  Lament — The  Ohio  River  Suff"erers — James  A. 
Garfield  In  memoriam — The  Old  Church  Bell — Song  of  the 
Dude— On  the  Fifth  Tier— A  Refusal— De  White  Family, 
as  Viewed  by  an  Old  Negro — Sad  Reflections — The  Con- 
vict's Lament — That  Huniming  Bird — The  Far  Golden 
West — A  Letter  to  the  Governor. 


LITERARY  PRISONERS. 

To  show  the  reader  that  there  are  natural  born  poets 
confined  in  the  Ohio  Penitentiary,  I  shall  give  a  few 
selections  from  the  many  I  have  in  my  possession.  The 
following  poem  was  written  shortly  before  the  writer 
was  discharged  from  the  prison.  The  sentiments  of  the 
poem  shows  with  what  feelings  of  delight  they  grasp  at 
liberty. 

THE   LAST   GREETING. 

Adieu,  heavy  walls  !  sad  realms  of  despair, 
Detached  isolation  of  sorrow  and  care ; 
In  thy  sequestered  rounds  these  seven  years  long, 
I've  been  plodding  and  toiling  and  weaving  my  song. 


THE    LAST    GREETING.  6^ 

But  now  never  more  ;  my  thralldom  is  past, 
And  swept  'neath  the  wave  of  oblivion's  Ijlast. 
Oh !  welcome,  thrice  welcome,  my  happy  release. 
When  waiting  and  longing  forever  shall  cease. 

I'll  away  to  the  fields  where  the  cool  zephyrs  blow. 

And  hyacinths,  daisies  and  daffodils  grow ; 

Once  more  on  my  brain  to  re-image  their  form. 

As  the  sun  paints  its  beams  on  the  wings  of  the  storm. 

Though  naught  can  avail  to  restore  thy  glad  hour, 

When  once  I  carol'd  in  my  Olympian  bower, 

Where  the  deep  tangled  pinewoodo'erarched  the  bright  stream, 

And  veiled  my  retreat  from  the  sun's  scorching  beam. 

On  that  landscape  serene  'twill  be  rapture  to  gaze. 
And  renew  the  bright  scenes  of  my  halcyon-  days  ; 
I'll  away  to  my  mother,  but  ah  !  I'm  afraid 
That  down  in  the  churchyard  a  corpse  she's  been  laid. 

If  so,  to  her  grave  I  shall  straightway  repair, 
And  write  her  a  tribute  while  I  mourn  in  despair ; 
I'll  go  to  my  brother  who  scoffs  at  my  name. 
Because  his  escutcheon  I've  tarnished  with  shame. 

His  pride  I  have  wounded  and  pierced  to  the  core. 
But  I'll  go  and  try  woo  him  to  love  as  of  yore ; 
I'll  away  to  my  sister  who  lives  by  the  glade 
Where  together  in  childhood  oft  times  we  have  played. 


70  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

And  strayed  through  the  wildwood  that  skirted  the  farm, 
Or  played  "  hide  and  go  seek  "  in  grandfather's  barn  ; 
Farewell,  my  companions,  who  with  me  have  shared 
The  toils  and  privations  alike  we  have  fared. 

Oh  I   what  would  1  give  without  stint  or  compare, 
To  have  you  go  with  me  my  freedom  to  share ; 
But  alas,  and  alack !  with  time  and  the  tide, 
'Tis  the  fiat  of  heaven  that  man  must  abide. 

Be  constant  and  dutious,  hopeful  and  brave, 
With  Christ  for  thy  pilot  go  battle  the  wave ; 
Labor  on  I  journey  on  !  though  in  anguish  and  grief. 
Till  a  beacon  from  heaven  shall  signal  relief. 

Farewell,  Executives!   I  bid  you  adieu, 

And  a  word  of  advice  I'll  venture  to  you ; 

Ye  whom  it  is  given  the  scepter  to  wield, 

Write  "  peace  "  on  thy  banner  and  "  love  '"  on  thy  shield. 

And  the  Father  who  sees  it  most  surely  will  heed 
Thy  challenge  of  mercy  and  prosper  the  deed, 
Farewell,  oh,  farewell !  once  more  I  exclaim 
Ere  I'm  wafted  away  from  the  portals  of  shame. 

To  my  ancestral  home  where  the  mountains  and  skies 
Kiss  good-night,  and  blue  hills  in  the  distance  arise, 
There,  'neath  the  green  turf  where  the  myrtle  tree  blows, 
Let  my  bones  and  my  ashes  in  silence  repose. 


THE    LIQUOR    DEALER  S    REFLECTIONS.  /I 

The  following  was  composed  by  a  convict  showing 
the  evils  of  intemperance  and  his  experience  as  a  saloon 
keeper. 

THE  LIQUOR  DEALER'S  REFLECTlOxNS. 

A  litiuor  dealer  1  have  been  for  twenty  years  or  more  : 
1  forced  myself  to  believe  it  right  because  licensed  by  the  Uiw  ; 
But  license  does  not  make  it  right  to  poison  young  and  old  ; 
It's  surely  jjoison — nothing  else — for  twenty  years  I  sold 

Many  thousand  drinks  I  mixed  with  smoot'n  and  smiling  face 

That  were  more  fatal  than  the  bloodiest  war  to  destroy  the 
human  race. 

There  is  poor  old  Peter  Wilson,  we  were  friends  from  boy- 
hood up. 

'Tis  I  that  made  him  what  he  is — I  pressed  him  to  take  the 
fatal  cup. 

He  once  was  erect  and   manly,  now  he  staggers  through  the 

street  ; 
The  children  even  mock  him  and  call  him  "drunken  Pete." 
How  many  crimes  and  deaths  I've  caused  God 7\\oxiQ  can  tell ; 
How  many  once  bright  happy  homes  are  now  a  perfect  hell. 

Nothing  that  gives  health  or  life  do  I  add  to  the   people's 

store  ; 
I  take  the  father's  hard-earned  cash  and  bring  want  before 

his  door. 


72  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


1  fill  the  penitentiaries,  cause  misery,  want  and  shame ; 
For,  every  act  of  violence  done,  the  dealer  is  to  blame. 
We  are  murderers  and  criminals  sanctioned  by  the  law ; 
And  the  judges  who  grant  the  license  are  on  equal  par. 

The  man  that  casts  his  vote  against  what's  called  sumptuary 

laws, 
Is  a  friend  of  the  whisky  dealer  for  he  opens  wide  the  door; 
With  us  he  shares  the  credit  of  filling  early  graves. 
Debasing  human  nature  and  making  freemen  slaves. 

The  next  selection  was  written  by  Elmore  A.  B. 
Thomas,  from  Preble  county,  who  is  serving  life  sen- 
tence. It  will  be  necessary  before  giving  the  poem,  to 
give  the  reader  a  brief  history  of  Elmore's  case,  in  order 
to  have  him  fully  understand  the  sentiment.  From  his 
own  story  I  learned  that  he  had  considerable  property 
when  he  got  into  trouble,  but  since  his  incarceration 
his  relatives  have  all  forsaken  him,  and  he  claims  "got 
away"  with  all  his  money.  He  is  considered  one  of  the 
trustiest  prisoners  inside  the  walls  and  is  always  pleas- 
ant and  polite  to  all  he  meets.     The  title  of  the  poem  is 

THE  EXILE. 

Dying,  dying,  slowly  dying,  no  more  the  world  to  roam ; 
Deep  in  my  heart  I'm  sighing  for  loved  ones  and  for  home; 
It  pains  me,  oh !  my  brother  dear,  and  yet  I  hold  no  malice 
Because  I  see  I'm  dying  here,  while  you  live  in  a  palace. 


THE    EXILE.       .  73 


The  thought  of  dying  troubles  not,  but  to  die  at  home,  I  want ; 
It  touches  such  a  tender  spot  the  way  i  see  men  taunt ; 
We  were  together  till  the  war,  since — what  a  different  fate — 
It  breaks  my  heart  to  tell  it  for  I  see  it  is  too  late. 

Some  say  the  fault  is  all  my  own,  yes,  lay  it  at  my  door; 
If  truth  to  these  were  only  known  they'd  lie  cut  to  the  core ; 
There  is  a  cause  for  everything,  a  stumbling  block  somewhere, 
A  misled  people  often  bring  about  a  thing  unfair. 

Though  thrust  in  prison  as  I  am,  taught  to  protect  so-called 
society. 

If  the  perjurers  sending  me  were  caught  they'd  see  the  im- 
propriety ; 

Difference  'tween  myself  and  society,  is,  they  show  the  same 
impiety. 

And  then  they  play  the  cunning  elves  by  caging  tne  to  pro- 
tect themselves. 

When  it  comes  to  talk  about  society,  can  they  outrank  me  or 

my  name  1 
Come  right  down  to  pure  piety  I  have  a  preferred  claim ; 
I  know  I've  not  been  what  I  should,  I  see  I've  been  a  tool 
For  those  who  used  me  that  could,  and  then  made  me  the 

fool. 

But,  brother  dear,  I  see  one  fact,  just  why  my  trouble  came, 
Bad  men  and  I  came  in  contact  who  swore  to  a  false  claim  • 
We  may  not  see  the  mystery  cleared  for  which  I  now  atone. 
But  why,  oh !  why,  are  loved  ones  steered  by  men  who  de- 
ceive alone  ? 


74  THK    OHIO    PKNITENTIAKY. 

Oh  !  could  some   men   but   see  their  sin  how  quickly   they 

would  atone ; 
Oh!  could  they  in  my  place  have  been  Avhen  they  each  cast 

a  stone ; 
Perhaps  you  think,  what  does  he  mean,  of  whom  does  he 

complain  ? 
Of  the  slander  and  perjury  plainly  seen  binding  me  with  a 

chain. 

Of  course  the  first  cause  is  remote  and  would  take  a  deep, 

deep  mind 
To  see  just  why  I  have  been  smote,  and  a  public  made  so 

blind ; 
I  know  that  I  have  sinned,  I  see,  and  as  often  did  repent, 
But  to  force  the  criminal  unto  me — their  labor  is  misspent. 

I'll  hold  my  head  as  high  in  prison  as  though  I  were  set  free ; 
The  looking  glass  God  has  in  heaven,  my  face,  tViat's  proof 

for  me  ; 
My  brother  dear,  words  cannot  tell  the  feeling  of  my  heart ; 
If  I  should  die  watch  my  boy  well  and  act  a  brother's  part. 

Whatever  faults  we  all  may  have,  I  love  all,  all  the  same ; 
If  I  should  fill  a  felon's  gr^ve  you  know  just  how  it  came  ; 
When  I  came  into  this  prison  my  heart  was  pure  as  snow ; 
I  repented  of  sin  but  mistakes  arisen  estimated  me  far  too  low. 

• 
It  stabs  me  to  the  heart  to  think  how  people  are  deceived  ; 

Because  I  sinned  and  took  to  drink  must  I  be  misbelieved.' 
Dear  ones,  adieu !  remember  me,  I  am  innocent  of  this  crime, 
And  I  hope  yet  to  live  to  see  the  lie  found  out  sometime. 


LETTER    IN    RHYME.  75 


Oh !  sum  this  up,  although  in  rhyme,  a  poem  by  a  sinner ; 
Yet  should  at  heart  I  do  a  crime  I  must  yet  be  a  beginner. 


This  is  a  letter  written  by  a  prisoner  to  a  friend  and 
arranged  in  rhyme  : 

Your  welcome  letter,  my  dear  friend  Jake,  I  received 
with  pleasure  and  now  undertake  to  answer  you, 
although  at  this  late  day,  but  I  would  have  written 
sooner  could  I  had  my  way.  We  are  allowed  once  a 
month  to  write,  I  had  to  wait  their  pleasure  ere  I  could 
you  indite.  Jake,  it  gives  me  pleasure,  indeed,  to 
know  you  think  of  me  still,  your  kindness  shall  be  re- 
membered by  deaf,  unlucky  Bill ;  for  it  seems  my  friends 
are  few  in  the  town  of  Troy  since  for  perjury  to  the 
"pen"  was  sent  the  deaf  Canadian  boy,  who  takes  his 
dose  of  medicine  like  a  little  man,  with  only  fourteen 
months  to  stay,  then  freedom  once  again.  Jake,  will 
you  ask  Frank  Long  why  he  writes  no  more  to  me,  and 
why  "The  Weekly  Chronicle"  no  more  I  get  to  see  ? 
A.nd  also  ask  him  why,  or  if  he  don't  propose,  to  send 
me  a  little  hankerchief  to  wipe  my  little  nose.  Also 
tell  Laura  Nolan  I  class  Jier  in  the  ranks  of  friends  who 
have  not  failed  to  write,  for  which  I  send  my  thanks. 
Tell  your  employer,  "George,"  that  it  would  do  me 
good,  to  once  more  'tend  a  shooting  match  down  in  the 
Adams'  wood.  Remember  me  to  all,  I've  not  space  to 
name  them  here,  tell  J.   B.   Franks  I  hardly  think  to 


'jd  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


me  he  is  acting  fair ;  no  letter  does  he^write,  it  grieves 
and  wounds  my  pride,  to  think  that  he  should  soon  forget 
and  cast  poor  Bill  aside.  If  there's  aught  that  I  have 
done  that  from  writing  to  refrain,  I  hope  in  justice  to 
myself  (through  you)  the  matter  he'll  explain.  Now, 
Jake,  I  suppose  y^^u  would  like  to  know  something 
about  my  work  ;  I  am  on  the  Hayden's  Contract,  my 
position,  foreman's  clerk,  and  general  roustabout,  the 
work  is  not  very  hard,  but  over  us  (ye  gods  !)  we  have 
a  stem  but  upright  Guard ;  who  uses  all  alike,  no  favor 
does  he  show,  if  any  disobey  the  rules  to  the  '"batJi  tub'" 
does  he  go ;  and. there  in  nature's  garb,  with  bandage  on 
his  eyes,  he  gets  hydraulic  pressure  from  hose  three  inch 
in  size.  My  record  yet  is  good,  I'll  try  not  cross  the 
boundary  line,  then  if  I  miss  the  punishment  I'll  be  en- 
titled to  short  time.  Now,  Jake,  I  think  I've  told  you 
all  the  news  you  care  to  know,  unless  I  also  mention  we 
have  a  heap  of  snow;  and  outside  sleighing,  I  presume, 
is  hailed  with  shouts  of  joy,  by  all  the  gay  and  festive 
youths  about  your  town  of  Troy.  I  nearly  forgot  to  tell 
you  of  a  fire  here  this  morn  in  P.  Hayden's  shipping 
room,  the  windows  are  badly  torn;  as  though  it  was 
quite  serious  and  took  a  deal  of  pains,  and  lots  of  water 
to  quench  the  all-devouring  flames.  Now,  Jake,  I'll 
have  to  close,  for  lack  of  writing  space,  by  asking  in 
your  next  to  send  a  picture  of  your  face  ;  I'll  make  a 
little  frame,  hang  it  near  my  little  shelf,  and  when  I  look 
upon   the   face   I'll  think  about   yourself.     I  wish  you 


THE    MOONSHINERS.  TJ 


would  send  a  lead  pencil  with  eraser  on  the  end,  it 
will  promptly  be  delivered  from  Jacob  to  his  friend ; 
with  my  kindest  wish  to  all,  may  God  protect  the 
right ;  victory  is  not  always  won  by  the  strongest  in  the 
fight.     Write  soon  and  often — Good  Bye. 

W.   E.   Y. 

THE  MOONSHINERS. 

Down  in  the  southern  mountains, 

With  no  outlet  to  the  world, 
There  where  the  gushing  fountains 

O'er  the  rocky  chasms  whirled,     . 
Concealed  in  these  dark  recesses 

The  "  moonshiner  "  has  his  still ; 
All  on  earth  that  he  possesses 

Is  centered  in  his  will. 

He  has  no  place  to  sell  his  grain, 

But  speedy  sale  for  whisky ; 
A  scanty  living  he  can  gain. 

Although  it  may  be  risky. 
These  mountaineers  are  very  poor, 

The  babe  oft  wears  a  fox  skin ; 
The  huts  they  live  in  have  no  floor. 

And  the  wife  ne'er  saw  a  hair  pin. 

They  are  innojent  in  their  way  as  sheep ; 

They  think  their  "still  "  not  wrong; 
And  remember  they  are  going  to  keep 


yS  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

'*  Moonshining  "  right  along. 
Our  government  seems  to  be  quite  jealous 

In  hunting  these  poor  sheep  ; 
Are  our  government  officers  honest,  tell  us  ? 

No !  not  even  in  their  sleep. 

Just  see  the  government  whisky  frauds, 
"     Babcock  and  Belknap  swindles. 
And  Star  Route  Robbers — Oh  !  ye  gods  ! 

Post  tradeships,  U.  S.  revenue  dwindles. 
How  flimsy  then  for  U.  S.  men, 

For  a  blind,  to  be  so  risky 
In  hunting  these  poor  beggars,  when 

Their  life  is  in  their  whisky. 


NEVER  LOST   SIGHT  OF. 

Ah !  those  precious  words,  I  met  them 
In  a  volume  well  worn  with  age. 

As  my  scanning  eye  glanced  over. 
Lightly  running  over  every  page. 

No,  never  lost  sight  of,  ever  present, 
To  that  Almighty,  All-seeing  eye, 

To  that  mind  divine,  where  wisdom 
And  all  its  highest  secrets  lie. 

And  my  thoughts  grew  deep  and  deeper, 
Till  I  imagined  I  could  see 


TO    A    LADY    FRIEND.  79 


Looks  paternal,  merciful  and  tender, 
Fixed,  yes,  fixed  with  tender  love  on  me. 

In  his  vast  designs,  I  am  needed 

To  fulfill  some  humble  part 
That  the  builder  needs  for  structure, 

Or  the  painter  for  his  art. 

Not  a  sparrow  falls  unheeded 

Beneath  our  Father's  paternal  eye  ; 

See  the  flowers  how  he  clothes  them 
With  each  pure  and  lovely  dye. 

Feeds  with  love  the  feathered  warblers, 
Through  their  brief  but  joyous  hours, 
While  they  hymn  their  lays  in  gladness 
Amid  the  sunshine  and  the  flowers. 


TO  A  LADY  FRIEND. 

When  first  I  saw  your  smiling  face, 
Your  laughing  eyes,  your  perfect  grace. 
Your  lovely  charms  and  innocent  glee, 
'Twas  then  you  captivated  me. 

» 
And  now  the  emotions  of  my  heart 
With  tender  feelings  of  love  impart. 
Impart  to  you  in  accents  wild 
That  my  poor  heart  you  have  beguiled. 


80  THK    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

How  Cupid,  with  unerring  aim, 
Witii  breath  of  love  has  fanned  a  flame 
The  dart  has  pierced  a  vital  part, 
And  love  alone  can  heal  the  smart. 

^Vith  passionate  love  I  now  implore, 
I  plead  with  all  a  lover's  power, 
That  you  will,  with  a  woman's  art, 
Heal  or  take  the  broken  heart. 

Now,  dearest  lady,  do  not  spurn 
My  ardent  love,  but  in  return 
Vouchsafe  to  me  the  thought  sublime 
That  I  may  win  your  love  in  time. 

And  lead  me  not  in  treacherous  chase. 
That  I  may  empty  air  embrace; 
But  gently  lay  the  scepter  down, 
Then  you,  my  queen  of  love,  I'll  crown. 

And  if  you  thus  with  love  incline, 
With  future  bliss  our  lives,  entwine. 
With  joy  and  pleasure  reign  supreme. 
No  sorrow  o'er  our  pathway  gleam. 

But  if  my  feelings  you  deride. 
And  cast  my  warmest  love  aside, 
I'll  not  reprove,  but  come  what  will. 
My  heart's  ideal  I'll  call  you  still. 


THE    DESERTED    HOUSE. 


THE  PRISONER'S  LAMENT. 

O'er  the  brick-trodden  pavement  in  prison  yard  treading, 
While  stern  is  the  Guard  who  does  march  by  our  side, 

What  woes  wring  my  heart,  and  what  tears  I  am  shedding. 
When  thoughts  of  the  past  through  my  memory  glide. 

Ye  stern  visaged  Justice  who  caused  me  to  tremble 
When  it  was  decreed  I  to  prison  must  go, 

And  there  mix  with  those  that  fate  does  assemble. 
Where  there's  nothing  but  solitude,  misery  and  woe.  • 

No  more  through  the  streets  of  Troy's  pleasant  city, 

I'll  wander  no  more  by  the  Miami  shore; 
For  those  who  will  meet  me,  will  look  but  in  pity. 

And  shun  now  the  one  that  they  once  did  adore. 

No  more. will  I  feel  love's  soft  thrill  in  my  breast. 
But  to  strange  foreign,  lands  I'll  sail  the  seas  o'er; 

And  then  with  the  stranger  my  ashes  shall  rest 
Unlamented — unknown  will  I  be  evermore. 


THE  DESERTED  HOUSE. 

I  sought  upon  an  autumn  eve,  a  ruin  now  deserted,  old, 
Amidst  a  wilderness  of  leaves  and  rugged  rocks  so  bold, 
Where  stood  the  tall  majestic  j^ines  whose  sighing  branches 

seemed  to  say. 
As  they  were  touched  by  gentle  winds,  "  We,  too,  must  perish 

— l)ass  away." 


82  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


I  s;iw  the  yawning  roofs  decay,  I  saw  the  yellow  leaves  of 

years, 
All  damp  with  mould,  in  corners  lay  and  shadows  all  around 

appears ; 
I  saw  the  chimney  place  of  brick,  the  oven's  empty  space 

below, 
The  fire-place  with  ashes  thick  that' once  was  radiant  with 

its  glow. 

And  here  were  hollows  round  and  small,  seemed  made  by 

some  arm  chair, 
As  tilted  back  against  the  wall  was  solid  comfort  taken  there  ; 
And  as  I  reached   the  tottering  stair,  with  sweeping  glance 

I  see 
That  all  is  desolation  there,  where  once  was  full  of  glee. 

And  while  I  stand  and  gaze  upon  this  house  where  joy  twines 
The  crumbling  frame,  so  nearly  gone,  'midst  those  majestic 

pines, 
It  seems  to  say,  "  My  life  has  flown   that  once  with  joy  was 

fed, 
Its  echoes  from  these  walls  are  gone,  and  I'm  deserted — 

dead." 

Then  after  death,  ah!  who  can  tell,  like  a  ruined  house  are  we  ; 
Our  body  is  only  but  the  shell,  and  we  the  tenant  be. 


During  a  conversation  with  one  ot  the  Sunday  School 
prisoners  at  the  time  of  the  recent  overflow  of  the  Ohio 


THE    OHIO    RIVER    SUFFERERS,  83 

river,  he  asked  me  regarding  the  suffering  and  privation 
of  the  unfortunate  ones  along  its  shore  ;  after  teUing 
him,  as  best  I  could,  of  the  terrible  suffering,  I  asked 
him  if  he  could  write  a  poem  on  the  flood.  He  an- 
swered, ' '  If  you  will  send  some  paper  and  a  pencil  to 
my  cell  /  zvill  try."  The  paper  and  pencil  were  furn- 
ished him,  and  shortly  after  the  following  production 
was  handed  me: 

THE  OHIO  RIVER  SUFFERERS. 

The  great  Ohio  river,  the  people's  joy  and  pride, 
Has  once  more  caused  disaster — spread  ruin  far  and  wide ; 
Has  once  again  brought  sorrow  and  mourning  to  the  State, 
O'erflowed  with  unrelenting  force  and  homes  made  desolate. 

Left  desolate  and  bare  the  land  that  borders  on  her  side, 
And  torn  from  their  foundations  the  manufacturer's  pride ; 
And  left  a  struggling  people  with  bare  and  empty  hand, 
In  all  their  naked  poverty  throughout  a  stricken  land. 

And  while  the  swelling  river  with  all  its  deafening  roar, 
And  madly  rushing  current  with  increased  waters  pour, 
With  unabated  fury  through  hamlet  and  through  town, 
May  we  with  lavish  kindness  our  charity  pour  down. 

May  we  be  prompt  to  succor  the  rivers  latest  prey, 
Nor  slow  in  our  response  to  human  laws  obey  ; 
But  with  a  christian  kindness  extend  our  utmost  power 
To  help  relieve  the  needy  poor,  in  this,  their  darkest  hour. 


84  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

For,  while  the  laws  of  Nature  no  mortal  can  control, 
No  human  hand  can  stay  the  tide  when  freshet  waters  roll ; 
Yet  we  can  for  the  suffering,  brought  on  by  Nature's  laws. 
With  human  acts  of  kindness  help  mitigate  the  cause. 

Then  open  up  your  hearts,  waste  no  time  in  idle  breath. 
But  contributions  quickly  send,  the  suffering  save  from  death, 
For  thousands  upon  thousands,  from  home  and  plenty  hurled. 
Are,  bv  the  Ohio  river's  rise,  now  thrown  upon  the  world. 


JAMES  A.  GARFIELD. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

No  more  shall  the  halls  of  Columbia  resound 

To  the  magical  words  of  our  grand  chieftain  again: 

He  was  laid  low  by  a  wretched  assassin's  wound. 
And  died  at  Long  Branch  in  full  view  of  the  Main. 

Nevermore  shall  his  grand,  eloquent  words  enthrall. 

Nor  awaken  to  memory  the  glories  of  Webster  and  Clay, 

Li  this  glorious  nation's  grand  Representative  Hall, 

Where  he  magnetized  men  by  his  language  day  after  day. 

He  convinced  them  by  logic,  by  law  and  by  reason. 
And  wrapt  all  in  attention  by  his  musical  tones 

As  he  talked  to  them  on  justice,  judgment  and  treason, 
And  of  their  Alabamas,  Corsairs  and  foreign  lands. 

I  can  recall  his  appearance,  so  tall  and  sublime. 

When  he  was  sworn  in  as  President  on  Capitol  Hill, 


JAMES    A.    GARFIELD.  85 

At  noon  on  the  fourth  day  of  March,  inauguration  time, 
As  he  swept  the  air  with  his  hand  as  if  to  impress  the  will. 

Nor  did  all  his  honors  spring  from  rostrum  or  hall ; 

He  went  to  the  war  and  his  sword  did  manfully  wield, 
To  do  all  he  could  before  ever  his  country  did  call ; 

An  orator,  a  hero  and  statesman  was  Jame  s  A.  Garfield . 

His  deeds  will  be  handed  down  from  father  to  son, 
His  many  grand  actions  and  his  struggfes  of  youth 

Until  he  5at  in  the  chair  of  the  great  Washington, 
Which  was  won  by  integrity,  honor  and  truth. 

Our  people  will  always  read  of  him  in  song  and  story  ; 
Thousands  went  to  take  a  last  look  at  him  as  he  lay  on 
his  bier; 
Some  talked  of  his  goodness,  some  talked  of  his  glory. 

And  many  turned  aside  in  the  great  dome  to  shed  a  last 
tear. 

Had  I  the  head  of  a  Whittier  to  inspire  my  pen  and  my  brain, 
I  would  set  forth  his  character  in  letters  of  purest  gold, 

To  re-echo  the  words  and  works  of  the  great  martyred  slain, 
For  his  brave  deeds  and  actions  are  but  imperfectly  told. 

He  was  kind,  generous  and  withal  without  any  pride. 
And  the  pride  of  Ohio,  the  great  State  of  the  west. 

His  body  is  entombed  in  a  lovely  spot  by  the  lakeside  ; 
There  will  be  a  monument  to  the  man  the  people  loved 
best. 


86  THE    OHIO    PENnENTJARY. 

We  all  hojjc  he  is  gone  where  all  sighs  and  sorrow  cease, 
And  no  more  death,  no  more  alternate  hope  and  fear ; 

For  his  Christian  character  will  bring  him  everlasting  peace  ; 
And  our  Redeemer  has  promised  to  wipe  from  ev'r)'  eye 
the  tear ; 

And  Faith  points  unerringly  to  worship  that  Saviour  so  dear. 


THE  OLD  CHURCH  BELL. 

Do  you  love  to  hear  the  ringing, 
And  to  hear  the  people  singing, 
Which  the  peals  to  church  are  bringing. 
Of  the  old  church  bell  ? 

Do  you  love  to  see  the  faces 

Of  the  pretty  female  graces, 

As  they  fill  up  all  the  spaces 

In  the  old  church  well.' 

Do  you  love  to  hear  the  preacher 
Explain  the  Bible  feature 
To  every  living  creature, 

And  to  hear  of  heaven  and  hell  ? 

Do  you  love  to  hear  the  praying, 
And  believe  what  they  are  saying? 
And  are  your  thoughts  a  straying 

Where  righteous  thoughts  should  dwell  ? 


SONG    OF   THE    DUDE.  87 


You  do  not  love  to  hear  the  tolling, 
And  to  see  the  dirt  go  rolling, 
While  the  preacher  stands  consoling, 
O'er  a  dead  one  loved  so  well? 

Yet  the  warn  of  death  is  rolling, 
And  the  bell  will  keep  a  tolling. 
As  the  carriages  go  strolling. 

At  the  sound  of  your  death  knell. 

Think  not,  friend,  you  will  evade  it, 
A  decree  of  God  has  made  it, 
And  the  past  events  portrayed  it. 
By  the  tolling  of  the  bell 


SONG  OF  THE  DUDE. 

Have  you  met  him  on  the  street. 
The  mashing  dude,  the  high-toned  beat  ? 
The  brainless  fop  who  every  day 
Promenades  upon  Broadway? 

He  wears  his  clothes  tight  to  the  skin. 
On  his  bosom  a  shoddy  pin  ; 
His  slender  cane  he  twirls  with  ease 
Whene'er  a  girl  by  chance  he  sees. 

He  prides  himself  a  jewel  rare 
If  ladies  chance  at  him  to  stare  ; 
Then,  with  the  quickness  of  a  flash. 
He  undertakes  to  make  a  "mash." 


38  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


But  once  a  dude  sad  fate  befell, 
For  he  was  caught  by  an  Irish  girl, 
Who,  to  please  her  parent  dear, 
To  her  home  a  dude  did  steer. 

It  chanced  that  she  was  passing  by 
When  the  dude  espied  her  roguish  eye ; 
And  as  she  smiled,  on  mischief  bent. 
To  capture  him  was  her  intent. 

To  her  he  tipped  his  hat  with  grace, 
A  genial  smile  o'erspread  his  face ; 
With  languid  air  he  stroked  his  chin, 
And  thus  his  "  mashing  "  did  begin. 

His  pace  he  quickened,  then  with  pride 
Crossed  o'er  the  street  to  the  other^side. 
And  slowly  followed  in  her  wake, 
This  Irish  girl  to  overtake. 

'Tis  hard  to  tell  how  he  begun 
To  use  his  artful,  wily  tongue ; 
No  pens  portray  or  words  express 
The  secret  of  the  dude's  success. 

But  sure  he  is,  without  offense, 
To  gain  the  lady's  confidence; 
His  proudest  hopes  to  realize 
When  to  her  home  he  takes  the  prize. 


ON    THE    FIFTH    TIER.  89 


Now  here  is  where  this  dude  did  err, 
When  to  her  home  he  went  with  her. 
She  was  a  father's  "  pigeon  stool," 
Who  made  the  clothes  for  this  dude  fool. 

And  little  did  he  know  how  bad 

He  was  wanted  by  her  dad; 

For  her  dad  the  tailor  was 

To  whom  the  dude  owed  for  his  clothes. 

Then  soon  a  sorry  sight  was  he. 
The  tailor  mashed  him  scandalously, 
And  vowed  whene'er  they  met  again 
He'd  mash  the  "  maslier's  "  mashing  brain. 

Hence  you  see  by  these,  my  rhymes. 
The  dude  don't  always  have  smooth  times 
Without  his  cash  and  overflow, 
And  then  he's  not  a  dude,  you  know. 


ON  THE   FIFTH  TIER. 

With  fond  memory  I  recall  the  days  of  my  youth. 
When  I  sat  near  a  mother,  kind,  loving  and  dear; 

She  impressed  my  mind  with  words  of  honor  and  truth. 
But  now  I'm  in  the  "-pen,"  away  up  on  the  fifth  tier. 

Alas!  how  oft  I  think  of  the  days  when  I  went  to  school, 
Of  that  old  schoolmaster  I  was  alwavs  in  fear 


90  THK    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

He  wore  for  an  ornament  an  old  oaken  rule, 

But  now  he's  in  dust,  and  I'm  away  up  on  the  fifth  tier. 

I  call  to  mind  when  we  rolled  foot-ball  on  the  old  green, 
Solitude  brings  up  all  things  so  distinct  and  clear, 

When  we  made  faces  at  the  schoolmaster  behind  the  old 
screen, 
But  now  I  have  lodging  away  on  the  fifth  tier. 

And  of  the  great  time  in  the  army,  marching  through  mud 
and  rain, 

Sometimes  at  the  front  and  other  times  away  in  the  rear, 
Or  carrying  the  wounded  or  burying  those  who  were  slain, 

But  now  I've  free  lodging  away  up  on  the  fifth  tier. 

I  know  it  is  the  year  '84,  I  wish  it  were  the  month  of  June, 
As  my  lease  expires  then,  and  the  time  it  is  near; 

When  I  get  out  of  here  I  will  play  a  new  tune, 

And  there  will  be  "  lodgings  to  let  "  away  up  on  the  fifth  tier. 

Young  man,  if  you  wish  to  keep  from  climbing  so  high, 
Avoid  the  rumseller  and  his  whisky,  wine  and  beer ; 

And  those  bachelor  lodgings  you  will  not  try, 

For  that  was  what  made  me  a  lodger  on  the  fifth  tier. 


A  REFUSAL. 

Good  morning,  Mr.  Dean  !     Thanks  I'm  looking  better; 
I've  called  to  get  permission  to  write  a  business  letter; 


DE    WHITE    FAMILY.  9I 

Yes,  one  year,  sir,  since  I've  written — it's  strictly  a  business 

line ; 
Since  you  ask,  I  have  a  girl  in  Dayton  who  wishes  a  valentine. 

Have  I  ever  been  reported  ?     Do  you  think  that  I  would  talk? 
I  have  kept  a  bee  line  mostly,  yea,  I  have  "walked  the  chalk." 
With  some  little  variation, ~  and  without  some  reservation, 
I  hope  to  get  permission  without  any  hesitation. 

You  interrogate  me  thusly,  about  my  prison  record  mostly, 
But  I  cannot  see  permission,  for  I  watch  you  very  closely; 
So  you  think  it  not  "  emergency  "  to  write  a  business  line, 
Or  to  send  a  business  letter — to  my  girl  a  valentine. 

I'm  sorry  you  don't  relieve  me,  to  refuse  it  doth  grieve  me  ; 
Should  you  change  your  mind  in  time  and  let  me  write  a  line. 
My  girl  will  be  indebted  to  you  for  the  valentine. 


DE  WHITE  FAMILY   AS  VIEWED  BY  AN  OLD 
NEGRO. 

When    fields   ob  wheat  am  wavin'  bright  an'  de  woods  am 

leafin'  green, 
De  pretty  form  ob  ole  Bob  White  and  Missus  bird  am  seen  ; 
In  innercence  on  top  ob'de  fence  sits  robin  morn  an'  night  ; 
An'  whistles  dar  in  heap  suspense  de  tune  ob  "  Bob,  Bob 

White." 


g2  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


Wid   si)eckled  breast  an'  plumed  crest  he  looks  so  neat  an' 

clean  ; 
Missus  White  sits  near  him  on  de  nest  an'  harkens  unto  him ; 
Bol)  alwus  stays  'roun'  in  sight  to  keep  an   eye  on  Missus 

White, 
An'  cheer  her  up  wid  all  his  might  by  his  ole  tune  ob  "  Bob, 

Bob  White." 

-An'  should  a  sportsman  happen  near,  den  ole  Piob's  heart 

am  filled  wid  fear ; 
He  leaps  at  once  down  on  de  groun'for  fear  dat  Missus  White 

am  foun', 
An'  runs  roun'  her  in  a  sweat  hardly  knowin'  whar  to  get. 
Until  he  seed  de  danger  pass,  when  he  comes  out  from  de 

grass. 

An'  to  de  fence  he  takes  his   flight  to  show  his  wife  dat  all 

am  right. 
By  de  same  ole  tune  ob  "Bob,  Bob  ^Vhite;" 
Den  when  de  eggs  am  done  gone  crack  an'  de  little  Whites 

am  out, 
Some  wid  de  shell  stuck  to  der  back  am  seen  to  run  about. 

Uen  ole  Bob  struts  about  so  large  ober  de  chillen  in  his  charge  ; 
He  whistles  den  to  learn  'em  right  de  family  tune  ob  "'  Bob, 

Bob  White;" 
When  night  den  fin's  'em  in  de  bed  wid  tail  to  tail  an'  head 

to  head, 
Settin'  in  a  circle  roun'  as  a  cup  for  fear  de   animals   eat 

'em  up. 


SAD    REFLECTIONS.  93 


Dey  sleep  dat  way,  all  facin'  out,  dat  dey  may  watch  a  circle 

'bout ; 
Den  when  daylight  succeeds  de  night  bof  pa  an'  ma  am  heard, 
Wi-fe-e  done  say  Missus  White  unto  de  husban'  bird  ; 
Den  ole  Bob,  proud  as  a  plumed  knight,  mounts  de  fence 

an'  says,  "  B-o-b  W-h-i-t-e." 


SAD  REFLECTIONS. 

Once  your  heart  was  mine,  all  mine ; 

Then  I  turned  from  you  away. 
Dreaming  not  the  love  you  gave  me, 

I  would  crave  from  you  to-day. 

Weary  years  have  left  me,  left  me 
With  a  sad  and  aching  heart, 

Knowing  now  too  well,  my  darling, 
I  must  live  from  you  apart. 

Yet  I  am  weary,  still  so  weary, 
Longing  for  your  smile  once  more, 

For  the  love  that  you  once  gave  me 
And  I  threw  away  before. 

I  have  lived  and  waited,  waited. 
Hoping  on  from  day  to  day. 

Empty  arms  are  reaching  toward  you. 
But  you  never  come  this  way. 


94 


THE    OHIO    PENITENTiARY. 


Now  my  heart  is  yours,  all  yours  ; 

Ah  !  you  turn  from  me  away, 
Wanting  not  the  love  I  give  you, 

Loving  some  one  else  to-day. 


THE  CONVICT'S  LAMENT. 

Tho'  the  clouds  hang  dark  above  me,  and  my  time  is  lost  in 

night, 
I  see  within  these  prison  walls  the  sun  is  shining  bright ; 
As  in  distant  hills  the  rainbow  falls  from  out  the  flying  storm, 
So  in  my  bosom  lives  a  hope  whose  glow  is  beaming  warm. 

There  was  ne'er  a  day  but  ended,  ne'er  a  sun  but  shone  again, 
Whose  beams  fall  now  upon  me,  not  in  pleasure  but  in  pain; 
But  sometimes  in  our  ejfistence  we  falter  in  the  face  of  right, 
When  before  us  lies  the  future  all  hidden  from  our  sight. 

Take  warning,  brothers,  cousins,  leave  the  evil  thought  be- 
hind. 

Let  your  walk  through  life  be  upright,  and  always  bear  in 
mind 

That  prison  life  is  dreary,  and  if  we  ourselves  control. 

May  always  have  our  freedom  and  keep  out  of  this  dark  hole. 

Now  when  my  term  is  ended,  liberty  once  more  I  gain, 
The  pleasure  I'll  partake  of  then  will  be  always  mixed  with 
pain; 


THE    HUMMING    BIRD.  95 


Trojan's  eyes  will  be  upon  me,  my  every  act  they'll  see, 
For  they  all  well  know  I've  served  a  term  in  the  penitentiary. 

Now,  friends,  1  must  bid  you  adieu  ; 

This  letter  was  written  expressly  for  you, 

And  when  you've  carefully  read,  and  the  song  you've  sung, 

Consider  them  written  by  William  H,  Young. 


THAT  HUMMING  BIRD. 

This  "hummer"  is  a  little  bird,  the  worst  you've  ever  seen, 

And  if  you  don't  believe  it  make  a  call  on  Mr.  Dean ; 

Now  when  you   go   to   see  this  "  bird  "  they  strip  you  to  the 

skin. 
And  down  into  the  little  tub  they  gently  drop  you  in. 

Your  hands  are  cuffed  behind  your  back,  your  eyes  are  band- 
aged tight. 

And  when  the  bird  begins  to  hum  you  yell  with  all  your 
might ; 

When  your  courage  is  almost  failing  and  your  heart  begins 
to  flop. 

Then  by  a  sign  from  some  one  "  sailing  "  this  bird  will  al- 
ways stop. 

This  little  bird  will  notTet  you  go  for  money  or  for  love, 
But  will  i)0unce   right   down   upon  you  like  lightning  from 
above. 


^6  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


And  when  this  bird   Ijegins  to   hum  it  will  almost  make  you 

say  : 
"Please  'let  up,' good  little  bird,  make  your  haste  and  fly 

away." 


You  have  heard  of  the  American  eagle  with  its  loud  terrific 

scream  ; 
But  this  little  "  bird  "  is   the  king  of  all,  this  little  bird  of 

Dean's. 

ONE    WHO    HAS    KEEN    THERE. 


THE  FAR  GOLDEN  WEST. 

There's  a  land,  there's  a  land  in  the  far  golden  west 
Where  the  elk  and  the  antelope  speed  o'er  the  plains ; 

Where  men  from  the  earth  its  treasures  doth  wrest, 
And  delve  after  gold  hid  in  its  fissures  and  veins. 

This  is  the  land  of  Mazeppa  and  unbroken  steeds, 
Where  they  gambol  and  sport  without  bridle  or  rein, 

Then  bound  away  over  the  cactus  and  reeds, 
As  they  view  with  alarm  the  emigrant  train. 

And  in  this  land  the  buffalo  in  myriads  do  roam, 
Sometime  waging  battle  with  the  fierce  grizzly  bear, 

Coming  off  conqueror  covered  with  blood  and  foam. 

Then  the  wolves  and  coyotes  to  pieces  the  victim  do  tear. 

And  the  geysers  spring  up  in  grandeur  and  power 
Forcing  their  spiral  columns  away  up  on  high, 


A    LETTER    WRITTEN    THE    GOVERNOR.  97 

Whilst  far  in  the  distance  the  rocks  do  tower 

In  their  snow-capped  summits  toward  the  blue  sky. 

And  this  great  land  of  wonders  does  silently  wait 
For  the  husbandman's  plow  and  mechanic's  skill ; 

To  the  bold  emigrant  it  will  yield  a  rich  freight 

From  Nature's  great  storehouse  in  each  valley  and  hill. 

Ho!  for  that  land,  don't  be  discouraged  nor  fear  an  alrani ; 

Forward  all  who  wish  to  be  independent  and  free, 
Old  "  Uncle  vSam  "  is  rich  enough  to  give  us  all  a  farm ; 

Then,  westward  where  the  mighty  Missouri   rolls  down  to 
the  sea. 


The  following  is    a    true  cojn'  of  a  letter  written  the 
Governor : 

Like  a  S|)arr6\v  alone  on  a  house  top. 
Like  an  island  isolated  at  sea, 
In  life's  great  ocean  but  one  drop. 
With  the  breakers  dashing  o'er  me. 

Alone  without  money  and  friends. 
Upon  life's  ladder  knocked  from  the  lop  ; 
I  beseech  thee,  head  of  Ohio,  to  stop 
The  work  of  some  plundering  friends. 

And  consider  what  our  law  intends. 
I  have  been  convicted  of  a  foul  crime. 


gS  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

And  sentenced  to  a  whole  life  time, 
And  have  no  one  to  push  my  cause, 

To  pull  me  from  the  lion's  jaws, 

Although  my  case  is  full  of  flaws. 

Since  April,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-five. 

When  judicial  mistake  buried  me  alive, 

1  have  been  praying  to  be  exhumed-Ex-Judge  Humes, 

Until  I  am  dead  then  properly  tombed. 

Were  there  one  single  spark  of  guilt 

In  my  heart  o'er  the  blood  that  was  spilt, 

1  should  await  and  trust  to  fate. 

But,  sir,  I  know  the  laws  of  State 

Which  defines  between  innocence  and  guilt 

When  one  is  charged  with  blood  that's  spilt. 

To  imprison  me  one  single  hour 

Is  an  irreparable  wrong. 

To-day  I  am  but  a  withered  flower 

That  needs  the  sunshine  and  the  shower. 

Ten  years  ago  I  bloomed  in  lx)\ver, 
But  wrongs  absorbed  the  blooming  power, 
Closing  the  petals,  checking  the  bloom, 
And  casting  o'er  me  clouds  of  gloom. 

1  have  plead  and  plead,  and  [ilead  in  vain, 
Then  plead  and  plead  again. 


A    LETTER    WRITTEN    THE    GOVERNOR.  99 

Suppose,  dear  sir,  I'm  an  innocent  man. 
What  must  my  feelings  be  ? 

I  try  to  hide  them  all  I  can 
But  grief  eats  the  very  heart  from  me. 
Does  not  all  this  seem  very  rough  t 
Can  such  mistakes  possibly  be  ? 

So  thought  the  Hon.  Horace  P.  Clough  — 
Your  Honor,  knew  him  well  enough. 
He  was  a  man  that  could  plainly  see, 
And  he  has  always  believed  in  me, 

And  wanted  the  people  to  let  me  go. 
Some  gladly  now  would  have  it  so, 
For  business  men  full  of  contrition. 
Told  me  they- would  get  up  a  petition 

And  undue  what  had  been  done, 
Restoring  me  to  my  orphan  son. 
And  if  you  have  the  papers  on  file. 
Pray,  come  and  search  my  face  for  guile. 

To  prove  that  truth  is  stranger  than  fiction, 
As  portrayed  in  my  false  conviction. 
But,  sir,  my  face  will  plainly  show, 
And  with  respect,  say,  please  let  me  go. 


100  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY, 

Pardons  are  not  for  guilty  men 
Who  deserve  to  serve  their  time. 
Is  it  a  wrong  to  pardon,  when 
One  is  innocent  of  crime? 

Any  terms  are  better  than  to  stay 
Wasting  a  brilliant  life  away. 
If  Justice  now  will  spread  her  scale, 
I'll  hoist  my  anchor  and  will  sail. 

Sir,  place  me  back  where  I  once  stood 
And  I  will  surely  do  much  good. 
I  promise  in  my  utmost  soul 
To  keep  away  from  the  flowing  bowl. 


PART    IV. 

Religion  in  Prison — Catholic  Service — Prayer  Meeting — The 
Prisoner's  request  for  Books — Notes  to  the  Chaplain — Con- 
tents of  the  Bible — Sunday  School — The  Prison  Choir — 
General  Service — Visitors  During  Service — How  Sunday 
Afternoons  are  Spent  by  the  Prisoners— Convicts  View  of 
Sin  and  its  Penalties — The  Reply — What  this  World 
would  be  were  Sin  Abolished — The  Birth  of  Our  Savior — 
Gleanings  from  the  Bible — A  Letter. 


RELIGION  IN  PRISON. 

The  reader  may  think  the  above  somewhat  out  of 
order,  or,  in  other  words,  absurd  ;  but  I  shall  endeavor 
to  give  a  fair  showing  and  readers  can  draw  their  own 
conclusions.  Sunday  in  prison  is  the  longest  of  all  days 
to  the  prisoner  as  he  is  locked  in  his  cell  from  i  o'clock 
P.  M.  until  Monday  morning.  There  are  four  services 
held  in  the  forenoon — Catholic  service,  for  those  of 
that  particular  faith,  is  held  first,  commencing  at  half  past 
seven  and  lasting  one-hour.  There  are  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  prisoners  who  attend  this  service.  Rev. 
Father  Clark,  of  Columbus,  has,  until  recently,  presided 

lOI 


I02  THE    OHIO    PENriENTlAKY. 


at  this  service,  but  owing  to  failing  health  he  gave  up  the 
work  and  is  now  traveling  through  the  west.  His  ab- 
sence was  regretted  by  both  prisoners,  those  to  whom 
he  gave  religious  instruction,  and  the  present  officers  of 
the  institution,  as  his  affability  won  for  him  a  pleasant 
word  from  all.  Rev.  Father  Delaney  is  officiating  for 
him  during  his  absence. 

Prayer  Meeting  commences  at  half  past  eight  o'clock, 
the  number  attending  being  about  five  hundred,  the 
Chaplain  of  the  prison  presiding.  The  present  Chap- 
lain, I.  H.  DeBruin,  has  met  with  great  success  in 
creating  an  interest  among  the  prisoners  concerning 
their  spiritual  welfare.  A  certain  part  of  the  meeting  is 
devoted  to  speaking  and  praying  by  the  prisoners,  and 
is  full  of  interest ;  many  a  tired  and  weary  soul  finds  re- 
lief in  either  prayer  or  giving  his  experience.  The 
Warden  is  always  present  at  prayer  meeting  and  often 
takes  a  part.  Frequently  a  prisoner  will  read  a  passage 
of  Scripture,  then,  in  reply  to  it,  will  read  from  a  slip  of 
paper  what  he  has  written.  Quite  often  some  old 
familiar  hymn  will  be  started  by  some  one  in  the  congre- 
gation.     A  favorite  is, 

"  Oh,  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice, 
On  Thee,  my  Savior  and  my  God — " 

Or  often  that  good  old  hymn,  "  My  soul,  be  on  thy 
guard,"  is  sung  with  such  burst  of  feeling  that,  for  the 
time,  the  beholder  forgets   he  is  within   t^'c  Avails  of   a 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON, 


103 


prison  but  rather  in  some  church  outside  where  all  is 
peace  and  joy  within.  Of  course  the  usual  number  of 
black  sheep  appear,  who,  to  make  themselves  noted,  will 
attempt  to  pick  some  flaw  by  raising  questions  of  doubt 
on  certain  passages  of  Scripture,  or  take  that  particular 
time  to  publish  their  imaginary  wrongs,  but  a  tap  from 
a  small  beli  on  the  pulpit  restores  order  and  the  meeting 
proceeds.  The  Chaplain  often  receives  notes  from  pris- 
oners asking  an  interview  regarding  their  soul's  salva- 
tion, or  expressing  the  happiness  experienced  since  their 
conversion,  or  desiring  some  book  of  instruction,  viz.: 
Bible  Dictionary,  Barnes'  Notes,  etc. 

I  will  here  give  a  few  notes  from  prisoners  kindly  fur- 
ished  by  the  Chaplain  ; 

Dear  Sir:  Will  you  please  furnish  me  with  Barnes' 
Notes  on  Mark,  Luke  and  John,  or  a  Bible  Dictionary? 
am  trying  to  learn  all  I  can  of  God's  truth  and  am  try- 
ing to  live  in  a  way  that  my  daily  life  will  be  as  a  prayer 
to  God.  I  shall  soon  be  permitted  to  go  out  into  the 
world  again  to  battle  with  temptation,  and  I  know  that 
with  my  own  strength  I  shall  tail,  but  by  trusting  in  God, 
in  Him  alone,  I  shall  overcome  them.  I  would  rather 
stay  here  than  to  go  out  trusting  in  my  own  strength. 
I  ask  you  to  remember  me  and  pray  for  me  that  I  may 
be  faithful  to  the  end.  God  forbid  that  I  should  ever 
turn  back.  I  would  like  to  see  you  when  convenient. 
I  remain,  as  ever,  j^our  humble  servant, 


104  "^"^    OHIO    PENlTENtlARY. 


Dear  Chaplain  :  If  you  have  the  time  to  spare,  I 
would  Hke  to  see  you  in  regard  to  the  welfare  of  my 
soul.  You  can  send  lor  nne  any  time  in  the  afternoon 
as  nny  work  is  always  done  by  that  time  of  day. 

Your  humble  servant,  . 

Chaplain — 

Dear  Sir:  Since  we  have  fairly  launched  our  barque 
upon  the  waves  of  another  year,  I  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion to  trouble  you  for  your  assistance  at  the  hehn. 
I  desire  to  change  my  course  of  reading  matter,  and  I 
wish  such  books  as  are  edifying,  and  draw  man  in  closer 
communion  with  his  maker.  I  find  a  Christian  soul 
must  be  fed  to  increase  strength  strong  enough  to  do 
battle  with  temptation  and  such  things  as  are  inclined  to 
draw  man  downward,  like  the  body,  it  must  receive 
food,  or  perish.  I  am  fully  aware  the  food  consists  of 
the  Word  of  God.  You  will  say  this  can  all  be  found 
in  the  Bible,  True,  Chaplain,  but  how  much  better  un- 
derstood, and  how  delightful  it  is  to  have  the  directions 
and  points  of  writers  who  are  able  to  comprehend  the 
whole  Now,  Chaplain,  I  wish  you  would  favor  me 
with  the  choice  of  your  books  for  the  next  six  months. 
You  can  judge  how  long  a  book  will  last  me  and  see 
what  progress  I  will  make  in  that  time. 

My  greatest  desire  is  to  be  a  christian,  and  I  wish  to 
lay  the  foundation  within  these  walls  so  that  when  I  am 
called  to  go  forth  to  meet  the  trials  and  temptations  of 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  I05 

the  world  I  may  be  found  in  possession  of  the  whole 
armor  of  God,  and  in  trial,  able  to  use  it  to  the  honor 
and  glory  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  have  yet  two  years  to  serve 
in  this  prison  and  I  can  learn  much  in  that  time  if  I 
have  the  right  guiding.  As  you  have  read  many  works 
you  will  be  more  able  to  direct  me  to  the  stream  of  liv- 
ing water  which  will  satisfy  my  thirsting.  I  shall  deem 
it  a  favor  long  to  be  remembered  if  you  can  oblige  me 
in  this  matter  and  I  shall  not  send  any  more  book  orders 
to  the  library.  In  conclusion,  I  desire  to  tender  you  my 
thanks  for  the  pleasant  hour  in  prayer  meeting  yester- 
day. Chaplain,  it  truly  is  worth  a  week's  imprison- 
ment to  hear  Professor  Orton  explain  the  Bible.  I  never 
enjoyed  an  hour  as  well  as  I  did  that  one.  I  hope  he 
will  continue  to  be  with  us  right  along.  I  know  he 
would  if  he  knew  how  much  we  like  him  and  think  of 
his  words.  . 

The  following  is  from  a  prisoner  about  to  be  dis- 
charged after  serving  his  term.  On  going  out  into  the 
world  again  he  desires  to  lead  a  different  life. 

Chaplain — 

Dear  Friend :  I  ask  of  you  one  favor  and  it  is  this — 
When  I  go  out  of  this  place  please  direct  me  to  the  Y. 
M.  C.  A.  in  Columbus,  and  tell  them  I  am  worthy  of 
their  attention,  and  shall  need  their  assistance  and  coun- 
sel to  guide  me  in   the  way  that  leads  to  heaven.     I 


I06  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


want  to  do  right,  if  it  does  not  help  me  it  will  cheer  and 
comfort  my  dear,  old  mother,  to  know  that  I  am  willing 
to  try  to  do  right.  1  have  been  a  great  sinner  in  the 
sight  of  God  and  man,  but  henceforth  I  will  serve  Him 
who  rules  on  high,  both  for  my  mother's  comfort  and 
the  good  of  my  sotil.  Pray  for  me,  Chaplain,  that  I 
may  be  ever  found  walking  uprightly. 

Yours  Very  Earnestly, 

J.  C.  F. 

To  show  the  reader  how  well  posted  on  scripture 
some  prisoners  are  I  will  give  the  following  recently 
handed  the  Chaplain  by  a  prisoner,  headed — 

CONTENTS    OF    THE    BIBLE. 

The  number  of  books  contained  in  the  Old  Testament 
is  39,  in  the  New  27,  total  66  books.  The  Old  Testa- 
ment contains  929  chapters,  the  New  260,  total  11 89 
chapters.  The  Old  Testament  contains  23,214  verses, 
the  New  7,959,  total  31,173  verses.  The  Old  Testa- 
ment contains  592,439  words,  the  New  181,253,  total 
773,692  words.  The  word  Jehovah  or  Lordis  mentioned 
6,855  times  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  word  Jesus 
occurs  833  times,  and  the  word  Christ  409  in  the  New 
Testament.  The  middle  and  shortest  chapter  of  the 
Bible  is  the  67th  Psalm,  The  middle  verse  of  the  bible 
is  the  8th  of  the  68th  Psalm.     The  middle  book  of  the 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  lOJ 

Old  Testament  is  Proverbs.  The  middle  chapter  is  the 
29th  of  Job,  and  the  middle  verse  is  the  17th  of  the  20th 
chapter  of  2nd  Chronicles.  The  least  verse  is  the  25th 
of  the  1st  chapter  of  ist  Chronicles.  The  middle  book 
of  the  New  Testament  is  2nd  Thessalonians.  The  mid- 
dle chapter  is  the  13th  of  ist  Corinthians.  The  middle 
verse  is  the  17th  of  the  17th  chapter  of  Acts,  and  the 
shortest  verse  is  the  35th  of  the  nth  chapter  of  John. 
The  2 1st  verse  of  the  7th  chapter  of  Ezra  has  all  the 
letters  of  the  alphabet.  G.  W.   P. 

SUNDAY    SCHOOL. 

This  service  is  attended  by  about  five  hundred.  They 
are  arranged  in  classes  and  are  supplied  with  teachers 
from  the  city ;  quite  a  number  of  them  being  from  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  rooms.  There  are  classes  in  the  first, 
second  and  third  readers,  and  the  eagerness  which  they 
manifest  in  striving  to  learn,  amply  repays  the  teacher 
for  his  labor.  This  is  where  many  take  the  first  step 
toward  education,  as  here  are  those  who  could  scarcely 
spell  words  of  one  syllable  when  they  began,  but  finally 
became  good  readers,  with  a  fair  understanding  of  what 
they  read,  before  they  leave  the  institution. 

Last  of  all  the  services  comes  General  Service,  which 
all  are  compelled  to  attend.  The  prisoners  are  marched 
into  chapel  in  their  regular  companies  the  same  as  on 
week  days,  each  company  occupying  a  certain  division 


I08  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


of  the  interior  every  Sunday.  While  marching  out  of 
chapel,  after  service,  the  organist  plays  a  march  suitable 
to  the  regular  tread  of  the  many  feet.  The  scene  is 
both  impressive  and  interesting. 

The  Prison  Choif  is  also  noticeable.  This  consists  of 
ten  of  the  best  singers  selected  from  fourteen  hundred  men. 
The  reader  may  judge  as  to  whether  or  not  they  pro- 
duce good  music.  The  leader,  a  prisoner,  is  a  teacher 
of  music,  and  his  singing  is  complimented  by  all  who 
hear  him.  The  books  used  by  the  choir  are  "The 
Triumph,"  "Anthem  Choir,"  and  "Normal  Collection" 
for  their  voluntary  selections,  while  the  ' '  Gospel 
Hymns"  i,  2,  3  and  4  combined,  are  used  by  the  con- 
gregation. The  organist  is.  a  skillful  player,  and  to  the 
ear  of  the  writer  the  music  is  excellent.  There  are 
quite  a  number  of  visitors  attending  services  every 
Sunday,  and  during  the  sitting  of  the  General  Assembly 
the  rostrum  is  usually  crowded  with  members  and 
friends.  After  the  general  service  comes  dinner  ;  each 
prisoner  is  there  served  with  double  rations,  they  are  then 
marched  from  the  dining  hall  to  their  cells,  where  they 
remain  locked  up  until  Monday  morning.  They  can 
eat  all  their  food  while  at  the  table  or  carry  a  lunch 
with  them  to  their  cell.  Sunday  afternoon  is  the  time 
allowed  them  for  writing  to  their  friends.  Those  who 
are  unable  to  write  their  own  letters  are  furnished  a 
writer  who  writes  according  to  their  dictation.  There  is  a 
regular  detail  of  officers  each  Sunday  afternoon  who  see 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  IO9 

that  they  who  have  permits  to  write  are  supplied  with 
writing  material,  and  they  who  are  sick  and  need  medi- 
cal aid  are  taken  to  the  hospital.  Thus  is  Sunday  spent 
in  the  Ohio  Penitentiary. 

"  Hark!  to  the  click  of  yonder  key 

That  locks  the  door  where  man  may  be ; 

Sunshine  peeps  through  the  lonely  aisle, 

And  welcomes  all  with  its  gladdening  smile." 

The  following  artistic  view  of  sin  and  its  penalties 
was  composed  and  recently  recited  in  Sunday  morning 
prayer  meeting.  It  is  a  very  thrilling  as  well  as  true 
picture  of  sin  and  wickedness.  By  permission  of  the 
author  I  give  it  for  the  reader,  feeling  confident  it  will 
be  read  with  a  feeling  of  interest  and  awe. 

SIN  AND  ITS  PENALTIES. 

Were  I  an  artist  I  would  dip  my  brush  in  the  black- 
ness of  perdition  and  paint  a  picture  of  sin.  I  would 
put  in  my  picture  every  conceivable  thing  that  is  terri- 
ble and  revolting.  I  would  paint  health  in  ruins,  hope 
destroyed,  affection  crtished  and  prayers  silenced.  I  would 
paint  the  chosen  seats  of  parental  care,  filial  piety, 
brotherly  love  and  of  maternal  devotion  all  crushed  and 
gone.  I  would  paint  all  the  crimes  of  every  statute  and 
of  every  hue  from  foul  murder  standing  aghast  over  the 
open  grave  which  it  had  no  means  to  cover,  to  the 
meanest  deception  still  confident  of  success.     I  would 


r  lO  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

paint  a  dark,  dreary  and  cheerless  valley,  and  I  would 
call  it  the  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death,  and  I  would 
people  it  with  ever-living  slaves ;  I  would  paint  a  land- 
scape of  trees  whose  fruit  should  be  poison  and  whose 
shadow  should  be  pain.  I  would  paint  a  mountain 
upon  whose  lofty  summit  black  clouds  of  vengeance 
should  hold  high  carnival,  and  around  whose  bleak, 
desolate  brow  fierce  lightning  should  flash  and  gleam 
with  a  vivid  startling  light,  revealing  deep  and  fathom- 
less chasms  where  awful  darkness  holds  eternal  sway. 
I  would  paint  a  deep,  dark  river  rushing,  foaming 
angrily  on  over  cragged  rocks  carrying  everything  upon 
its  heaving  bosom  toward  an  awful  Niagara  of  death, 
where  it  booms  and  roars  like  heaven's  artillery  ;  its 
waters  should  be  the  tears  from  weeping  eyes  and  blood 
from  bleeding  human  hearts,  and  in  its  turbid  current 
no  living  thing  should  dwell,  and  in  its  storm-tossed 
waves  nothing  but  human  wrecks  should  be  seen.  I 
would  paint  a  dark  and  gloomy  cavern  where  sunlight 
never  strays,  where  foul  odors  fill  the  air,  and  where  the 
dying  moans  of  murdered  men,  women  and  children 
would  constantly  resound  through  its  sepulchral  vaults. 
I  would  fresco  it  with  slimy  serpents  and  crawling 
spiders,  and  upon  its  walls  the  faces  of  grinning  devils 
should  gleam  out  with  maddening,  fiery  and  fiendish 
hate.  I  would  put  in  the  most  distant  background  of 
my  picture  the  vanishing  visions  of  a  blessed  past,  and 
in  the  foreground  the  awful  certainty   of   an  accursed 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  HI 


future.  I  would  paint  prison  doors  that  opened  in- 
wardly only ;  and  then  I  would  people  the  scene  with 
men  whose  shattered  frames  were  tainted  with  tor- 
mented souls,  with  innocent  children  upon  whose  lips 
no  smiles  should  ever  play;  with  women  upon  whose 
cheeks  furrows  had  been  burned  by  tears  wrung  bj'^ 
anguish  from  bleeding  hearts,  pressing  to  their  bosoms 
their  starving,  skeleton  infants.  In  my  picture  not  one 
happy  home  could  be  found,  not  one  bright  and  cheer- 
ful face  could  be  seen,  but  instead,  bloated,  beastly, 
brutal  and  tyrannical  men  should  glare  from  the  canvas. 
The  temples  oi  worship  should  be  closed  or  be  con- 
verted into  brothels  of  infamy  where  blood-curdling 
scenes,  and  blaspheming  shouts  would  constantly  re- 
sound through  their  galleries,  and  when  my  picture  was 
completed,  I  would  varnish  it  with  the  poison  of  dragons 
and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps.  I  would  frame  it  with  the 
skins  of  scorpions  and  stinging  reptiles.  After  I  had 
painted  it  and  made  it  as  hideous  as  I  could  get  it  I 
would  hang  it  up  in  a  lurid  light  on  a  cord  woven  from 
the  teeth  of  the  poisonous  cockatrice  and  spreading  vi- 
pers and  then  I  would  say  to  a  sinful  world — "There  is  a 
picture  of  sin ;  which  by  your  doings  you  are  painting  by 
the  millions  and  hanging  upon  the  walls  of  your  now 
peaceful  and  happy  homes." 

The  above  is  a  thrilling  and  terrible  picture  to  behold 
but  it  does  not  appear  to  be  exaggerated  to  the  man 
tbat  has  been  through  the  dark   and  gloomy  tunnel  of 


112  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

sin.  So  let  us  ever  be  on  our  guard  that  it  may  never 
fasten  its  jaws  of  death  upon  us,  and  let  it  stand  as  a 
positive  but  terrible  warning, 

Chester  V.   Adams. 


The  following  is  by  the  same  author  as  the  above  and 
shows  what  this  world  would  be  like  were  sin  banished 
from  us.  The  ideas  presented  in  this  composition  are 
beautiful,  and  the  writer  undertakes  to  give  an  imagina- 
tive representation  which  I  shall  endeavor  to  give  the 
reader  as  he  arranged  it. 

WHAT  THIS  WORLD  WOULD  BE  LIKE  WERE    SIN    ABOLISHED 
AND  EXCLUDED  FROM  AMONG  MEN. 

Sin  is  an  ever-present  evil,  therefore  it  can  early  be 
investigated  and  understood.  When  we  try  to  find 
Godliness  among  men  where  sin  and  corruption  is  en- 
tirely erased  and  exempt,  we  are  then  endeavoring  to 
find  something  that  cannot  be  found  this  side  of  the 
eternal  world.  So  it  will  have  to  be  illustrated  through 
imagination,  and  in  order  to  present  it  so  you  may 
better  understand  it,  let  us  suppose  there  to  be  some 
country  afar  off,  some  island  of  the  ocean,  where  sin 
has  never  been  known.  If  you  were  to  go  with  me 
there  we  would  find  the  people  intelligent,  virtuous, 
temperate  and  happy.  We  would  find  them  enjoying 
a  fruitful  land,  a  healthy  clime,  a  free  government  with 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  II 3 

equal  and  wholesome  laws.  We  would  see  written 
upon  every  man's  countenance  faith,  hope  and  charity ; 
their  homes  would  be  scenes  of  domestic  happiness  and 
they  would  be  noted  for  their  generosity  and  hospitality. 
Their  wives  would  be  singing  songs  of  praise  while  at 
their  domestic  duties,  and  the  health  and  beauty  which 
we  would  see  in  their  countenance  would  be  unmistaka- 
ble evidence  of  a  light  heart  and  contented  mind.  We 
would  see  on  this  island  sweet  and  fragrant  flowers, 
brought  forth  from  the  rude  nature  of  man,  that  blos- 
som and  give  forth  fruit  of  righteousness,  loving  kind- 
ness and  good  will  toward  his  fellow  man.  There  would 
be  a  large  paper  published  and  its  name  would  be 
"Morning  and  Day  of  Reform."  You  might  scan  its 
columns  from  beginning  to  end  and  you  could  not  read 
of  one  incident  of  crime,  poverty  or  drunkenness — not  one. 
You  would  never  read  the  horrible  account  of  some 
poor  intoxicated  wretch  who  had  lain  down  upon  the 
railroad  track  and  was  hurled  into  eternity  by  the  light- 
ning express.  You  could  read  it  the  year  round  and 
never  read  of  a  suicide,  murder,  execution  or  lytiching,  but 
its  columns  would  be  so  crowded  with  acts  of  kindness 
and  good  deeds  that  the  editor  would  scarcely  have 
room  \.o  price  Ins  paper.  We  would  visit  the  workmen's 
houses  and  find  thrift  and  happiness  upon  every  hand; 
their  dwellings  would  be  emblems  of  cleanliness  and  in- 
dustry; their  children  would  be  instructed  in  both 
ancient  and  modern  history ;   they  would  be  graduates 


114  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


from  Christian  colleges,  and  their  every  aspiration 
would  go  out  for  something  higher  and  nobler.  We 
might  travel  the  plains  and  mountains  of  that  island, 
cross  and  recross  its  glens  and  caverns  and  never  meet 
one  brigand,  desperado,  bandit  or  smuggler.  We  would 
have  no  need  to  carry  firearms  for  fear  of  being  assassi- 
nated by  some  lurking  road  agent,  and  thrown  down 
some  dark  and  gloomy  chasm  to  cover  the  horrible 
deed,  but  every  man  we  would  meet  would  be  our  friend, 
and  good  Samaritan  to  those  in  need.  We  might  canvas 
that  island  from  center  to  circumference  and  not  be  able 
to  find  a  brewery  or  distillery  ;  not  one  court  of  justice, 
not  one  jail,  penitentiary,  insane  asylum  or  any  other 
emblem  of  sin  ;  nor  would  we  see  a  monster  palace  of 
sin  that  stands  with  open  doors  and  frosted  windows 
with  red,  white  and  blue  lamps  in  front  as  lights  from 
the  other  world  hurrying  its  trembling  victims  on  to 
destruction ;  but  we  would  see  magnificent  churches 
and  temples  of  worship  erected  in  their  stead,  and  the 
spires  would  be  so  lofty  that  they  would  pierce  the  very 
cloulds  above  them  and  their  silver  balls  would  glisten 
and  shine  with  such  splendor  that  they  could  be  seen 
for  miles,  and  the  interior  of  those  churches  would  be 
lighted  by  rows  of  golden  chandeliers  and  their  chains 
of  precious  jewels  would  sparkle  like  millions  of  dew- 
drops  under  a  morning  sunbeam  ;  their  altars  would  be 
frescoed  with  jasper,  precious  stones  and  glittering  dia 
monds.     We  would  see  hanging  from  their  walls  beauti- 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  II5 

ful  and  costly  paintings  of  Christ's  Resurrection  and 
Ascension,  Mary  at  the  Savior's  Tomb,  Christ's  Last 
Supper  with  His  Disciples,  and  many,  many  other  em- 
blems of  scripture  could  be  seen  hanging  from  their 
walls.  The  inhabitants  of  that  island  would  go  into 
their  synagogues  every  Lord's  day  to  pour  out  their  grati- 
tude and  to  offer  their  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  their 
God  and  Chief  Ruler.  They  would  be  so  pure  and  sin- 
less that  even  the  very  angels  from  heaven  would  come 
down  and  worship  with  them.  Now,  after  we  had  wit- 
nessed all  these  things,  if  we  would  go  to  the  wise  men 
of  this  wonderful  island,  and  tell  them  that  we  were  advo- 
cates of  sin,  and  wished  to  have  it  introduced  among 
them  for  their  benefit,  and  after  we  had  gone  through 
the  entire  catalogue  and  depicted  in  proper  and  jus; 
terms  all  its  penalties,  do  you  suppose  that  they  in  their 
wisdom  would  admit  the  destroyer  among  them  ? 
Would  they  not  guard  their  shores  against  it  as  they 
would  against  some  pestilence  ?  Would  not  the  alarm 
be  sounded  throughout  the  island  and  armies  be  raised 
to  prevent  its  admission?  i  am  sure  there  can  be  but 
one  answer. 

But  here  we  sit !  we  have  come  to  such  a  pass,  we 
have  acquired  such  a  bluntness  of  feeling,  such  a  degree 
of  attachment  and  ■  love  for  sin  that,  although  sur- 
rounded by  all  the  woe  that  it  has  produced,  all  the  elo- 
quence on  earth  would  be  unable  to  wake  us  to  a 
proper  sense  of  our  danger,  and  induce  us  to  banish  the 


Il6  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

foe  and  purify  our  land.  Banish  this  engine  of  crime  and 
death,  this  warlock  of  destruction,  and  this  world  would 
become  a  garden  of  Kden,  fit  for  the  paradise  of  God. 
Yet  do  I  hear  some  one  say  "there  is  no  danger/^;'  me 
if  I  only  sin  a  Httle."  Ah!  that  is  the  whispering  of 
Satan.  Do  not  put  too  much  confidence  in  yourself. 
Do  not  be  like  the  foolish  young  man  who  wanted  a 
huge  reptile  to  cage  and  put  on  exhibition.  He  went 
out  and  hunted  through  the  jungle  until  he  found  one 
coiled  up  behind  a  rock,  when  he  approached  from  be- 
hind with  cat-like  tread  until  near  enough  to  grasp  it, 
when  he  seized  it  by  the  neck  and  for  a  while  held  it 
'firmly  in  his  grasp,  but  before  he  was  aware,  the  slimy 
coils  of  the  reptile  had  encircled  his  arm,  his  pulse 
ceased  to  beat,  his  arm  became  powerless  and  the  pois- 
onous fangs  had  penetrated  the  quivering  flesh  and  in 
two  short  hours  he  was  a  bloated  corpse y  a  victim  of  his 
own  folly. 

O,  hearers !  if  this  poisonous  reptile  of  sin  has  its 
teeth  fastened  in  your  hearts,  I  will  say  to  you — siop^ 
turn  your  thoughts  toward  your  poisoned  life  and  con- 
sider the  agonies  you  have  endured  to  arrive  at  your 
present  state  of  coniplicated  wretchedness.  Do  you 
ask  how  this  can  be  done  ?  I  answer,  abstain  from  sin ; 
do  not  abstain  for  a  week,  month  or  year,  but  forever. 
Swear  to  abstain  from  everything  that  is  sinful  as  long 
as  eternity  will  endure,  and  the  throne  of  God  shall  stand. 
I  urge  you  to  do  it,  you  will  not  only  achieve  success 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  II 7 

in  this  world  but  you  will  redeem  yourselves  from  a 
blighted  life  and  there  will  be  glorious  possibilities  in  the 
future  for  you  and  you  will  be  hailed  by  your  friends  as 
if  resurrected  from  the  dead.  You  will  save  yourselves 
from  ungodly  graves,  you  will  escape  the  firey  dungeon 
of  Hades  where  fiends  and  demons  grin  and  scream 
over  their  helpless  victims. 

The  following  poem  was  composed  by  a  prisoner  sent 
up  from  Montgomery  county,  for  eighteen  months,  who 
was  charged  with  forgery.  The  title  is  an  excellent 
one  and  shows  the  writer  to  be  well  versed  in  scripture. 

THE  BIRTH  OF  OUR  SAVIOR. 

A  heavenly  star  traversed  the  sky 
To  point  out  proud  Bethlehem's  inn  ; 

And  the  angelic  hosts  they  sang  with  joy 
At  the  birth  of  the  Babe,  the  Savior  of  men. 

The  heavenly  chorus  filled  all  space, 

And  holy  men  knelt  down  in  prayer 
To  God  for  his  almighty  grace ; 

For  Jesus  who  will  all  our  sorrows  share. 

Shepherds  came  from  afar  to  see  the  heavenly  guest. 
And  for  to  worship  the  divine  child  ; 

Being  warned  by  an  angel  he  was  blest 
And  to  be  born  from  a  virgin  undefiled. 


Il8  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

He  came  to  suffer  shame  and  death 
For  poor  sinners,  such  as  you  and  me, 

He  forgave  his  foes,  with  his  dying  breath. 
Upon  the  glorious  cross  on  Calvary. 

Then  sing  praise  unto  the  most  High, 
Who  gave  his  only  begotten  son. 

That  all  who  believe  in  him  may  not  die ; 
Oh !  serve  the  Lord  and  the  victory  is  won. 


The  author  of  the  following  was  a  two  year  man  who 
gave  the  name  of  R.  Anderson.  The  translation  is 
taken  from  the  CII  Psalm,  from  the  i6th  to  22d  verses : 

God  is  love,  and  angels  fall  in  adoration  at  his  feet ; 
God  is  love,  and  love  forever  pleads  upon  the  mercy  seat ; 
In  His  love  he  stoops  to  call  us  up  from  earth  to  be  His  own  ; 
He  despiseth  not  His  prisoners  but  entreateth  them  to  come. 

And  His  love  leads  us  on,  and  He  fills  our  souls  with  song, 
And  we  praise  our  God  who  reigns  forever  King  on   Zion's 

throne ; 
He  who  sent  the  veil  that  covered  every  land  and  tribe  and 

tongue. 
And  crowned  the   cov'nant   promised  in  the  birth  of  Christ 

His  Son. 

He  revealed  His  arm  in  pity  seeing  none  to  intercede, 

We  were  lost  but  for  the  love  that  beheld  and  knew  our  need  ; 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON. 


119 


And  the  Prince  of  Peace  Immanuel,  Son  of  heaven's  eternal 

King, 
God  with  us  was  born  a  Savior  and  the  ransom  for  our  sins. 

Christ  the  Savior,  we  adore,  ijless  His  name  forever  more  ; 
Bless  Him  for  the  glad  anointing  of  the  spirit  on  us  poured ; 
Bringing  peace  to  broken  hearts,  glad  tidings  to  the  poor, 
And  deliverance  to  the    captives   bound   behind    the  prison 
door. 

Looking  back  upon  our  lives,  our  hearts  failed  with  fear. 
And  fearful  looking  forward  in  the  judgment  to  appear; 
When  the  powers  of  heaven  are  shaken  but  our  Advocate  on 

high 
Hath  spoken  words  of  life  and  our  redemption  draweth  nigh. 

Let  us   praise  the   love  that   comes   to  our  prison   house  of 

shame 
Bringing  rest  to  our  souls  from  the  burden  of  our  blame; 
The  world  without  may  sneer,  may  deride  us  and  defame, 
Christ's  love  is  all  sufficient,  praise  and  honor  to  His  name. 

We  have  barred  ourselves  away  by  a  life  of  crime  and  guilt. 
Till  a  ciy  for  Christ  arose  o'er  the  walls  our  sins  had  built, 
And  they  tottered  as  the  towers  of  proud  Jericho  that  fell 
At  the  soundmg  of  the  trumpets  and  the  shout  of  Israel. 

Strong  to  save  is  Christ  who  died,  come  to  Him,  the  crucified, 
See  the  cruel  crown  of  thorns  and  the  wound  within  His  side  ; 


I20  •     THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


To  the  cross,  through  feet  and  hands,  He  was  nailed  our  sins 
to  hide, 

And  He  lives  to  bless  and  pardon,  come  to  Christ,  the  cruci- 
fied. 

Fallen  low  in  sin  and  darkness  from  the  depths  He  hears  our 

cry, 
From  despair  and  death  He  saves  us  and  will  raise  us  to  the 

sky, 
All  glorious  as  the  dove,  the  prophetic  psalmist  told. 
Whose  wings  were  silver  corded  and  her  feathers  yellow  gold. 

Blessed  child  of  Bethlehem,  our  Redeemer  and  our  King, 
Lamb  of  God,  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  slain  for  sin, 
Through  the  blood  of  Thy  atonement  Thou  hast  washed  and 

made  us  clean. 
And  will  bring  us  home  to  Zion  when  the  ransomed  enter  in. 

Heavenly  Zion,  built  of  God  for  His  daughters  and  His  sons, 
At  thy  jewel  gates  of  pearl  set  in  walls  of  shining  stone. 
All  the  prison  shame  forgotten  in  thy  glorious  robe  of  white, 
We  will  raise  a  worthier  song  to  praise  the  Lamb  who   is  thy 

light. 

Through  His  birth  the  angels  sung,  through  His  death  that 

dimmed  the  sun 
Shall  our  eyes  behold  the  beauty  of  the  King  upon  thy  throne, 
Men  may  hold  us  in  dishonor,  Christ  has  made  and  called  us 

sons 
Of  our  God  who  reigns  forever  King  in   Zion  on  the  throne. 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  121 


O,  death,  thou  dark-winged  angel  we  no  longer  fear  thy  night; 
Christ,  thy  Conqueror,  brings  life  and  immortality  to  light; 
Under  the  sable  shadow  our  souls  in  triumph  sing; 
O,  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  !    O,  death,  where  is  thy  sting. 

Thou  wilt  break  the  silver  cord  but  forever  with  the  Lord 
We  shall  find  the  bloom  of  Eden  in  eternity  restored; 
We  shall  walk  with  Christ  in  Paradise,  immortal  our  reward, 
And  so  shall  we  ever  be  in  glory  with  the  Lord. 


GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  BIBLE. 

Jesus  Christ  He  is  the  chief  corner  stone; 

Faith  biiilt  on  other  foundations  will  surely  fall ; 
Let  us  look  to  that  light  which  so  resplendently  shone 

And  caused  the  conversion  of  blessed  Saint  Paul. 


Sinners  are  the  same  now  as  they  have  been  of  old ; 

They  still  continue  to  sin,  revile  and  blaspheme ; 
Offenses  will  come  as  our  Savior  fortold. 

But  woe  unto  them  who  dishonor  his  name. 

Their  eyes  they  are  blind  and  they  can  not  see, 
Nor  will  they  acknowledge  or  worship  their  God  ; 

They  are  like  the  Scribes  and  the  proud  Pharisee, 
Nor  will  they  humble  themselves  under  his  rod. 

Let  us  trim  our  lamps  -while  there  is  light ; 
The  lamps  of  our  lives,  the  good  spirit  within, 


122  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


\\'ith  the  oil  of  salvation,  prayers  day  and  night, 

It  will  shield  from  temptation  and  keep  us  from  sin. 

In  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  Ezekiel  you  will  find 
The  most  gracious  promise  by  Him  who  cannot  lie ; 

In  His  almighty  mercy  He  wishes  to  save  all  mankind; 
There  He  says  :  "  Repent  ye,  repent  ye,  why  will  you  die. " 

Revelations  says  in  heaven  there  will  be  no  sun  nor  moon, 

But  the  righteous  shall  dwell  in  the  Lamb's  glorious  light 
Then  why  will  people  be  blind  and  rush  to  their  ruin  ? 
j^   Let  us  obey  the  Divine  law  and  do  what  is  right. 


The  following  letter  was  received  at  the  Ohio  Peni- 
tentiary on  the  20th  of  October,  1883.  It  is  addressed 
to  the  Young  Christians  confined  therein  and  signed, 
"One  of  Your  Former  Members."     Respectfully. 

My  Dear  Friends  and  Fellow  Prisoners,  Confined  in 
prison  for  a  just  or  unjust  cause,  which  you  and  your 
God  alone  know,  I  entreat  of  you  to  trust  in  your 
Father  in  Heaven  for  future  guidance  and  he  will  see 
you  safely  through  your  sorrowful  hours  while  in  your 
prison  home.  My  dear  fellow  prisoners,  always  bear 
in  mind  that  while  longing  for  freedom  and  your  native 
clime  that  One  full  of  love  and  goodness  is  caring  for 
your  wife  and  little  ones  at  home,  and  in  your  deepest 


RELIGION    IN    PRISON.  123 


and  saddest  affliction  the  same  God  that  feeds  the  raven 
will  feed  and  clothe  your  family. 

It  is  now  almost  eight  years  since  God  and  your  for- 
mer Warden,  Colonel  Innis,  opened  the  prison  doors 
for  me  to  pass  out.  True,  I  was  happy  to  gain  my 
liberty^  but  for  a  short  time  I  scarcely  knew  what  course 
to  pursue  to  make  a  living,  but  trusting  in  God  who 
gave  me  health  and  liberty,  I  soon  found  a  way.  Many 
changes  have  taken  place  since  I  left  the  prison  cell 
behind. 

Dear  fellow  prisoners,  one  by  one  you  will  regain 
your  liberty  and  they  who  come  forth  from  those  gloomy 
walls  should  come  with  the  love  of  God  in  their  hearts, 
and  with  a  motive  to  do  right  and  the  people  on  the 
outside  will  sustain  them  in  their  efforts.  While  under 
the  care  of  your  guard,  try  and  so  live  that  he  may  treat 
you  with  respect  and  kindness,  and  when  you  have  re- 
gained your  liberty  he,  too,  will  be  in  honor  bound  to 
assist  you  in  your  worldly  vocations,  the  same  as  others 
who  have  never  seen  the  inside  cell  and  dungeon. 
Strive  to  do  right  and  God  will  be  your  friend. 

The  eight  years  that  have  separated  me  from  my 
once  prison  home  have  gained  for  me  fame,  honor, 
home,  family  and  friends.  It  will  do  the  same  for  you. 
I  hold  my  head  high  and  no  one  dare  cast  a  reproach 
on  my  prison  days.  God,  in  his  infinite  love,  has 
blessed  me  with  home,  sweet  home,  family  and  plenty 
of  friends.     Any  of  you,  my  dear  fellowmen,  on  coming 


124  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


forth  from  the  dreary  walls  will  find  in  me  a  true  friend 
to  down-trodden  and  despised  prisoners  of  the  old 
Prison  Home  at  Columbus,  Ohio. 

,   Detroit,   Mich. 


Ohio  Penitentiary,  1884. 


125 


PART  V. 

Historical  Sketches  of  Officers — Brief  Sketches  of  all  the  War- 
dens since  the  erection  in  1835 — Other  Officers — Biograph- 
ical Sketch  of  the  Oldest  Prison  Official  in  the  World, 
James  A..  Dean — Also,  Brief  Sketches  of  Captain  Noah 
Thomas  and  Dr.  Norman  Gay. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  OF  OFFICERS. 

The  first  Warden  of  the  present  Ohio  Penitentiary, 
was  Mr.  N.  Medberry,  who  took  charge  after  its  com- 
pletion, in  1835,  ^"<^  continued  control  until  1843,  at 
which  time  he  was  succeeded  by  General  Patterson. 
The  records  of  Mr.  Medberry's  term  have  been  lost  or 
thrown  away,  so  nothing  of  his  administration  can  be 
found. 

The  second  Warden  we  mention  was  General  Patter- 
son, who  began  his  administration  in  1843,  continuing 
three  years. 

In  1846  Lawrin  Dewey  of  Portage  county,  was  ap- 
pointed Warden  and  held  the  office  until  1851.  I  can 
glean  nothing  from  the  records  concerning  the  above 
named  gentlemen  as  officers,  further  than  this :  The 
prison  under  their  management  was  a  success.  The 
salaries  of  the  officers  and  guards  at  this  time  were  very 
126 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES   OF    OFFICERS.  12/ 

small  in  comparison  with  salaries  now  paid  them,  and 
yet  very  few,  if  indeed  any,  are  satisfied  with  the 
amount  paid  them  for  services.  I  recently  found  an 
old  receipt  for  three  months'  salary  as  guard  during 
Mr.  Dewey's  term  of  office,  it  reads  as  follows:  "Re- 
ceived of  Lawrin  Dewey,  Warden  O.  P.,  seventy  five 
dollars  for  three  months'  salary  as  guard,"  showing  their 
salary  to  be  at  that  time  but  twenty-five  dollars  per 
month,  while  they  were  compelled  to  perform  both 
day  and  night  duty,  whereas,  now  there  are  two  regular 
sets  of  officers,  night  men  and  day  men. 

It  was  during  Mr.  Dewey's  term — in  1849 — ^^^^  the 
cholera  broke  out  among  the  prisoners,  over  one-half  of 
them  dying,  as  did  also  a  number  of  the  officers.  Dr. 
Gay,  the  present  physician,  was  superintendent  of  the 
Hospital  at  that  time,  and  did  heroic  work  by  staying 
with  the  panic  stricken  prisoners  and  laboring  night  and 
day  to  relieve  the  suffering  and  help  bury  the  dead. 
The  writer  has  at  different  times  sat  and  listened  to  the 
old  Doctor  relating  those  fearful  times,  how  men  were 
stricken  down  and  in  one-half  hour  found  cold  in  death. 

The  Chaplain,  Rev.  J.  B.  Finley,  was  not  so  faithful 
to  his  charge,  he  concluded  his  spiritual  advice  was 
needed  elsewhere,  he  left  the  poor  fellows  and  fled  the 
town.  Mr,  Dean  was  an  officer  of  the  prison  at  that 
time  and  fully  corroborates  the  story  of  the  Chaplain's 
cowardice,  there  is  always  an  amused  expression  about 
his  mouth  whenever  Chaplain  Finley's  flight  from  his 


128  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


field  of  labor  was  alluded  to.  One  of  the  Chaplain's 
strongest  points  in  preaching  to  the  "  boys"  was,  "be 
ever  ready  to  meet  your  God. "  Mr.  Nat  Martin  (a 
member  of  the  Board  at  that  time,  and  an  old  resident 
of  Columbus)  remarked  upon  hearing  of  Finley's  flight 
that  ' '  the  old  d — 1  was  ready  to  preach  '  prepare  to 
meet  thy  God, '  but  when  the  opportunity  presented 
itself  to  him  to  meet  his  God  he  ran  away." 

In  1852  Asa  G.  Renick,  of  Northern  Ohio,  was  ap- 
pointed Warden  by  the  Democrats,  tliis  being  the  first 
re-organization  of  the  Ohio  Penitentiary.  His  admin- 
istration continued  two  years.  He  was  succeeded  in 
1854  by  Mr.  Wilson,  of  Columbus,  but  in  a  short  time 
after  his  appointment  he  was  taken  sick  and  died,  being 
In  office  about  three  months.  Mr.  Battles,  of  Colum- 
bus, also  men^ber  of  the  Board  at  that  time,  was  ap- 
pointed to  serve  the  remainder  of  the  term.  Nothing 
can  be  found  regarding  the  administration  of  Mr.  Bat- 
tles further  than  the  term  of  his  Wardenship  was  fully 
up  with  his  predecessors  as  to  government  and  financial 
standing  of  the  Prison. 

John  Ewing,  of  Ross  county,  served  from  1856  to 
1858;  L.  G.  Van  Slyke,  formerly  a  director,  1858  to 
i860. 

In  i860  John  A.  Prentice  was  appointed  Warden  ; 
Rev.  Jenkins,  Chaplain  ;  and  Dr.  D.  R.  Kinsell,  Phy 
sician.  During  1861  there  were  a  number  of  fires  in 
the  prison,  destroying  many  buildings  belonging  to   the 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES   OF   OFFICERS.  12g 

State,  and  quite  a  number  of  convicts  were  thrown  idle 
by  the  calamity,  thereby  increasing  the  loss  to  the  state 
and  causing  confusion  in  the  discipline.  Warden  Pren- 
tice in  his  report  speaks  very  highly  of  the  Columbus 
fire  department  for  their  efficiency  and  invaluable  service 
during  the  fires.  He  also  speaks  of  h/e  prisoners  asking 
th^t  something  be  done  for  them,  that  some  term  for 
irreproachable  conduct  entitle  them  to  some  mitigation 
of  their  hard  fate,  or  something  be  done  to  give  life  and 
nourishment  to  hope.  May  not  they,  too,  be  permitted 
to  cherish  hope  ? 

Captain  Merion,  of  Columbus,  was  appointed  Warden 
in  1862  and  served  three  years.  His  administration  was 
successful,  and  as  a  warden  he  was  well  liked  by  both 
officers  and  prisoners.  He  was  very  decided  in  all  his 
undertakings,  which  is  the  key-note  to  success. 

In  1866  Mr.  Prentice  was  again  appointed  Warden, 
but  his  reign  was  of  short  duration,  as  soon  after  going 
into  office  he  began  having  trouble  with  the  Board  and 
other  officers  of  the  institution  which  compelled  him  to 
resign,  having  served  one  year.  One  of  the  charges 
against  him  was  defrauding  the  state  of  money,  for 
which  he  was  tried  before  the  grand  jury,  but  they 
failed  to  find  any  true  bill.  Mr.  James  A.  Dean  and 
Mr.  W.  A.  Overholser  were  summoned  as  witnesses  and 
through  their  testimony — their  positions  enabled  them 
to  know — the  matter  was  thrown  aside  as  not  worthy  of 
mention.      Mr.  Prentice  went  to  Ashtabula  county,  his 


130  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

former  home,  but  soon  after  he  became  insane  and 
finally  died  in  the  asylum.  There  remains  no  doubt 
but  that  the  worry  over  his  trouble  and  bad  treatment 
caused  his  insanity  and  death. 

General  Walcutt  was  appointed  Warden  in  the  spring 
of  1868,  and  served  over  three  years;  he  was  re-ap- 
pointed, but  resigned  soon  after,  having  had  enough  of 
the  "  Pen."  From  all  account  his  administration  was 
crowned  with  success.  Many  laughed  at  his  appoint- 
ment (he  v/as  but  29  years  of  age)  and  remarked,  "he 
was  too  much  like  a  boy  for  the  position,"  but  ere  his 
administration  had  closed  he  had  the  laugh  on  them,  as 
the  facts  and  figures  of  his  successful  management  show. 
He  was  very  strict  in  discharging  his  duty  ;  if  any  sub- 
ordinate officer  violated  the  rules  he  was  suspended 
immediately  and  almost  invariably  discharged.  Mr. 
Dean  was  Deputy  under  him,  and  often  speaks  of  how 
the  General  would  bring  the  officers  to  time  for  misde- 
meanor, and  he  further  says,  unhesitatingly,  that  Gen. 
Walcutt  made  the  best  Warden  tne  penitentiary  has 
ever  had. 

In  1872  Col.  R.  Burr  was  appointed  Warden.  His 
management  of  the  prison  was  somewhat  on  the  same 
principle  as  his  predecessor's,  although  not  quite  the 
same  results.  I  find  in  his  report  to  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors that  the  plunge  bath — a  punishment  abandoned 
as  cruel — was  resorted  to  on  several  occasions  to  bring 
the  unruly  to  subjection,   but  his  own  words  are :     "I 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES    OF    OFFICERS.  I31 


do  not  like  it  and  shall  be  glad  to  abandon  its  use*  en- 
tirely whenever  any  less  objectionable  means  can  be 
devised  to  secure  the  desired  end,"  showing  that  while 
he  telt  compelled  to  use  such  punishment  he  did  so  with 
reluctance.  In  his  report  he  also  speaks  of  the  officers 
under  him  as  faithful  and  efficient  in  discharge  of  their 
duties,  speaking  for  himself  as  having  co-operation  in 
his  work. 

Col.  G.  S.  Innis  was  appointed  Warden  in  1874,  serv- 
ing two  years.  His  report  is  very  interesting,  showing 
his  anxiety  and  interest  for  the  good  of  those  in  his 
charge.  During  his  term  of  office  the  chapel  was  first ' 
occupied,  and  the  hospital  removed  to  its  present  loca- 
tion. He  speaks  against  the  whitewashing  of  the  cells, 
as  the  walls  became  scaly  and  the  receptacle  for  bed- 
bugs and  other  annoying  insects  that  from  time  to  time 
find  their  way  to  the  prison.  At  the  time  of  the  Colo- 
nel's wardenship  one  of  those  annoying  hide-outs  that  I 
have  mentioned  previously,  occurred  and  gave  him  quite 
a  boom  in  the  way  of  notoriety.  The  prisoner  worked 
in  the  cooper  shop,  and  like  many  another  foolish  fellow 
thought  he  could  hide  until  search  for  him  had  ceased,^ 
then  he  would  scale  the  wall  and  breathe  the  sweet  air 
of  liberty.  Alas  tor  him  !  little  did  he  dream  what  was 
in  store  for  him.  The  search  was  continued  several 
days,  when  he  was  found  hidden  under  a  pile  of  hoop- 
poles.  It  was  then  the  Colonel's  voice  was  heard  order- 
ing him  brought  forth.      The  poor,    scared  fellow   was 


132  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


taken  into  the  cooper  shop,  and  while  one  of  the  guards 
held  him  down  on  a  large  block — stomach  downward — 
the  Colonel  administered,  with  a  cooper  stave,  such  a 
sound  spanking  as  he  had  not  received  since  his  boy- 
hood days,  when  he  was  spanked  on  his  mother's  knee. 
The  story  was  soon  circulated  and  much  sport  was  had 
over  the  Colonel's  new  mode  of  punishment. 

Captain  John  H.  Grove  was  appointed  in  1876.  He 
served  two  years  and  was  removed  by  change  of  admin- 
istration. During  his  term  the  decipline  of  the  prison 
was  good  and  the  report  shows  the  sanitary  condition  to 
be  equal  to  any  previous.  The  officers  that  were  under 
him  speak  very  flattering  of  his  manner  of  conducting  the 
prison  management.  He  speaks  of  the  Library  as  being 
one  of  the  most  important  features  of  the  prison,  saying 
that  it  can  hardly  be  told  how  difficult  it  was  to  manage 
the  Library  properly  when  limited  to  such  small  annual 
appropriations.  The  enlarging  of  the  dinning  room, 
kitchen  and  bake-house  was  completed  during  the  Cap- 
tain's term  ;  also  seven  hundred  and  eighty  feet  of  the 
outside  wall,  containing  fifty-five  thousand  feet  of  stone, 
and  many  other  improvements  worthy  of  note,  were 
made,  but  for  lack  of  space  will  have  to  be  omitted. 

In  1878,  James  B.  McWhorter,  of  Hamilton  county, 
was  appointed  Warden,  and  Joseph  Quinn,  of  Franklin 
county,  Deputy.  Owing  to  bad  judgment  they  made  a 
failure  in  the  management  and  were  asked  by  the  Board 
to  resign,  which  they  did, after  serving  but  a  few  months. 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES   OF    OFFICERS.  I  33 

Their  successors  were  B.  F.  Dyer,  of  Brown  county,  for 
Warden  and  G.  C.  Porter,  of  Perry  county,  Deputy. 

Mr.  Dyer  was  very  successful,  and  won  for  himself 
much  distinction  by  his  cool  judgment  and  readiness  for 
any  and  all  emergencies.  Taking  charge  of  the  prison  at 
the  time  he  did,  it  being  in  such  a  demoralized  condition, 
made  it  very  difficult  to  get  the  discipline  under  proper 
control.  Mr.  Dyer  speaks  in  very  complimentary  terms 
of  his  Deputy,  Mr.  Porter,  in  his  report,  at  one  time 
mentioning  the  improvement  in  the  discipline  under  his 
humane  management.  The  punishment  had  been 
lessened,  and  the  work  allotted  the  prisoners  had  been 
performed  in  a  more  cheerful  manner,  which  plainly  told 
that  good  feeling  existed  among  the  prisoners  gener- 
ally. He  further  adds  in  his  report  that  much  of  the 
success  of  the  institution  is  due  to  the  cordial  co-opera- 
tion of  his  subordinate  officers. 

April  22d,  1880,  Noah  Thomas  was  appointed  War- 
den, and  assumed  his  duties  May  4th,  1880.  James  A. 
Dean  was  again  appointed  Deputy  and  his  term  of  office 
expired  April  15th,  1884. 

In  Mr.  Thomas'  first  report  he  says  that  his  convic- 
tions at  the  time  he  entered  upon  his  duties  as  Warden, 
and  actual  experience  since,  led  him  to  believe  that 
kind  and  humane  treatment  would  be  one  of  the  best 
means  of  niaintaining  good  disciplne,  and  from  my  own 
knowledge  of  his  administration  I  can  say,  so  far  as 
practicable,  his  views  were  carried  into  effect.     In  his 


134  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

second  report  to  the  Board,  his  experience  enabled  him 
to  give  more  fully  the  workings  of  the  prison  for  the 
year.  He  says:  "  The  sanitary  condition  of  the  prison 
is  not  what  it  should  be,  yet  it  is  reasonably  good ;  but 
the  discipline  is  much  better  than  the  former  year ; 
while  it  has  been  the  purpose,  by  firmness  and  yet 
through  kindness,  to  attain  through  the  officers  in  charge 
that  degree  of  discipline  contemplated  by  your  rules, 
and  while  no  willful  violation  of  the  rules  is  allowed  to 
go  unpunished,  it  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  number  of 
infractions  of  the  same  are  rapidly  decreasing  and  the 
inmates  more  cheerful." 

Rev.  D.  R.  Miller,  who  was  Chaplain  at  that  time,  is 
spoken  of  very  highly  by  the  Warden  for  furthering  the 
reformatory  and  religious  work. 

During  the  same  year  the  large  bath  rooms  were  built, 
which  added  much  to  the  comfort  of  the  prisoners  in  the 
way  of  bathing,  as  the  old  bath  room  was  not  sufficient  to 
accommodate  the  number  of  prisoners.  Much  was  done 
by  Mr.  Thomas  to  improve  both  the  sanitary  and  finan- 
cial condition  of  the  prison.  The  winters  of  '80  and  '81 
were  so  extremely  cold  that  it  was  necessary  to  be  at 
much  larger  expense  than  was  anticipated,  but  the 
prisoners  were  kept  warm,  had  good  warm  clothing,  and  . 
were  well  satisfied  with  their  treatment,  and  the  finan- 
cial standing  of  the  institution  greatly  improved  over 
former  years.  The  reports  of  1882  are  but  a  continua- 
tion of  the  good  management  and  discipline  with  the 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES    OF    OFFICERS.  1 35 

financial  Standing,  showing  over  ;^  16,500  surplus,  i.  e. 
over  and  above  all  expenses  of  running  the  prison. 

Warden  Thomas  deserves  great  credit  for  his  success 
in  the  management  of  the  prison.  He  speaks  very 
praiseworthily  of  the  officers  that  were  under  him,  giving 
them  a  great  part  of  the  credit  for  his  success,  which  is 
well  deserved,  as  no  large  institution  such  as  the  Ohio 
Penitentiary,  can  be  managed  successfully  without  the 
hearty  co-operation  of  all  the  officers.  During  the  year 
'82, the  Superintendent  of  Construction,  Mr.  Geo.  H.  Row- 
land, added  much  to  the  appearance  as  well  as  profit  of 
the  prison,  by  repairing  and  painting  the  buildings,  lay- 
ing new  stone  walks,  and  erecting  a  dry-room  in  con- 
nection with  the  laundry. 

Mr.  R.  P.  Green,  Superintendent  of  Gas,  shows  in  his 
report  to  the  Warden  that  29,346,800  cubic  feet  of  gas 
was  manufactured  during  the  year.  I  will  here  state  the 
Ohio  Penitentiary  manufactures  all  the  gas  used  in  the 
State  Capitol,  Deaf  and  Dumband  Blind  Asylums,  which 
accounts  for  the  enormous  amount  the  figures  show  to 
have  been  made. 

The  report  of  1883,  recently  issued,  is  the  best  report 
issued  since  Mr.  Thomas  assumed  control.  He  says, 
"  while  with  pride  we  refer  to  the  financial  standing  of 
the  Prison,  showing  a  balance  of  over  ;^53,ooo.oo  clear 
profit  to  the  State,  we  would  not  have  you  think  the  re- 
formatory features  of  the  institution  have  been  over- 
looked in  our  efforts  to  prevent  the  prison  from  becom- 


136  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

ing  a  charge  upon  the  tax-payers  of  the  State,  It  has 
been  the  purpose  and  aim  to  maintain  discipline  by  im- 
pressing upon  the  minds  of  the  inmates  that  their  per- 
sonal and  best  interests  depend  upon  their  good  con- 
duct, and  that  efforts  in  this  direction  have  not  been  in 
vain,  as  infractions  of  the  established  rules  are  not  more 
than  one-half  in  number  what  they  have  been  heretofore. 
The  Dosition  taken  by  Gov.  Foster  not  to  pardon  a  con- 
vict who  had  violated  prison  rules,  has  had  a  decided 
effect  and  influence  upon  the  conduct  of  the  prisoners, 
being  a  great  restraint  on  some  who  would  otherwise 
have  been  indifferent. 

Section  7432  of  the  Revised  Statutes  of  Ohio  is  what 
is  known  as  the  "  Good  Time  Law."  It  provides  that 
for  good  conduct,  fidelity,  and  diligence  in  performing 
the  work,  each  convict,  sentenced  for  a  term  other  than 
life,  shall  be  entitled  to  a  gain  of  so  many  days  each 
year  from  his  sentence. 

The  Warden  also  claims  in  his  report  that  75  per 
cent,  of  the  inmates  of  the  prison  are  careful  in  observ- 
ance of  its  rules  for  the  benefit  derived.  The  report 
speaks  very  forcibly  as  to  the  humane  treatment  of  the 
convicts  and  the  establishing  of  an  Ex-Prisoners'  Asso- 
ciation in  the  city  of  Columbus  for  the  benefit  of  those 
discharged  who  wish  to  lead  a  moral  and  upright  life, 
yet  who,  without  the  assistance  of  a  guiding  hand,  will 
surely  fall  into  the  snares  that  are  prepared  for  them. 
There  have  been  cases  to  my  certain  knowledge  where  the 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES   OF   OFFICERS.  1 37 

prisoners  have  been  met  by  parties,  (who  make  it  their 
business  to  destroy  the  human  race  by  vice  and  dissipa- 
tion,) on  the  outside,  before  they  could  get  two  squares 
from  the  prison,  and  ere  the  sun  was  veiled  by  the 
darkness  of  night,  the  exconvict  of  but  a  few  short  hours 
would  be  beastly  drunk — robbed  of  his  money  and  his 
manhood — taken  to  the  city  prison,  and  on  an  iron  bed 
sleep  off  his  stupor.  There  are  many  similar  cases  come 
to  the  ears  of  the  prison  officials  which  no  doubt 
prompted  Mr,  Thomas  to  speak  so  forcible  in  his  report 
of  the  necessity  of  such  a  place.  The  reports  of  all  the 
officers  are  filled  with  interest  and  speak  in  favorable 
terms  of  any  improvement  that  can  be  made  for  the 
comfort  and  welfare  of  the  prisoner. 

The  Superintendent  of  Construction  shows  to  what 
extent  the  prison  under  his  special  charge  has  been  im- 
proved. There  was  erected  a  new  building  50  by  150 
feet,  three  stories  in  height,  and  covered  with  slate  roof- 
ing ;  there  was  used  in  its  construction  250  perch  of 
stone,  325,000  brick,  172,000  feet  of  lumber,  8,500 
square  feet  of  slate  roof.  This  is  decidedly  the  finest 
building  in  the  institution,  and  the  work  was  all  done  by 
convicts.  The  chimney  is  139  feet  8  inches  high,  and 
is  the  highest  chimney  in  the  city,  the  next  in  height 
being  130  feet. 

"  Uncle  Sammy  Johnson,"  the  jolly  Superintendent 
of  the  Yard,  shows  in  his  report  the  condition  of  the 
grounds,    the    walks   and    streets,   to    have   been   well 


138  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

looked  after.  During  the  year  his  teams  delivered 
75,925  bushels  of  coke  from  gas  works,  1 1,200  bushels  of 
lime,  10,000  bushels  of  wheat,  10  car  loads  of  stone, 
and  266  tons  of  ice  was  put  away  for  prison  use  ;  also 
under  his  supervision  was  slaughtered  261  head  of  cattle, 
whose  average  weight  was  1,475  pounds;  360  head  of 
hogs,  and  sold  240  head,  making  600  head  that  were 
fattened  in  the  prison. 


JAMES  A.  DEAN. 


139 


I40  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


Biographical  Sketch  of  the  Oldest  Prison  Official 
in  the  W^orld, 

JAMES    A.    DEAN. 

James  A.  Dean  was  born  in  Frederick  county,  Mary- 
land, February  19,  1815  ;  he  was  but  a  small  boy  when 
his  parents  emigrated  to  Ohio  ;  they  first  settled  in  Bel- 
mont county,  but  not  liking  the  location,  finally  moved 
to  Muskingum  county,  where  he  grew  up  to  manhood. 
His  father  was  a  Protestant  Irishman,  his  mother  was  of 
Scotch-German  descent.  His  boyhood  was  spent  help- 
ing his  father  on  the  farm  and  working  on  the  old 
National  pike  that  was  being  built  at  that  time.  In  his 
younger  days  he  was  considered  one  of  the  best  men, 
physically,  in  that  section  of  the  state,  and  such  strong, 
hearty  fellows  as  he  was  were  always  in  demand,  conse- 
quently he  was  employed  on  the  road  whenever  he 
could  be  'spared  from  the  farm.  In  1838  he  was  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  the  section  of  road  between 
Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  and  Columbus,  under  the  resident 
engineer. 

General  Patterson  was  general  superintendent  at  this 
time  of  the  division  between  the  above  named  points, 
but  after  some  years  he  resigned  and  his  successor  was 
Thomas  M.  Drake,  who  was  finally  superseded  by  Mr. 
Monypenny,  of  Columbus,  and  lastly,  owing  to  some 
misunderstanding  of   rather  a  political  nature,   Mr.  M. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH    OF   JAMES    A    DEAN.  I4I 


was  succeeded  by  John  Yountz,  of  Licking  county,  and 
Mr.  Dean  being  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  fence — 
politically — of  course  his  place  was  wanted  for  a  friend. 
In  the  meantime  General  Patterson  had  received  the 
appointment  of  Warden  of  the  Ohio  Penitentiary,  and 
upon  learning  of  young  Dean  being  out  of  employment 
wrote  to  him  and  offered  him  a  position  as  guard  at  the 
prison.  Mr.  Dean  in  reply  stated  that  he  would  visit 
the  prison  and  if  favorably  impressed  would  accept  the 
position.  He  went,  and  after  a  general  survey  of  its 
workings,  concluded  to  make  the  trial.  This  was  in  the 
spring  of  1843. 

After  coming  to  Columbus  he  married  Miss  Susan 
Brickell,  who  lived  in  a  small  frame  house  opposite  the 
prison  and  which  is  still  standing.  Six  children  were 
the  fruit  of  their  union,  three  of  whom  are  now  living, 
one  son  and  two  daughters. 

His  first  duty  as  guard  was  taking  charge  of  the 
kitchen,  dining  room,  bakery,  and  wash  house.  Now 
in  these  several  places  there  are  four  officers  on  duty 
regular.  Next  he  was  superintendent  of  the  temale  de- 
partment, which  was  situated  where  the  east  hall  now 
stands  and  which  was  without  a  matron  at  that  time. 
In  1852  he  resigned  his  position  as  guard  and  accepted 
a  position  on  the  Columbus  police  force.  He  had  been 
on  the  force  less  than  two  years  when  he  was  again 
offered  a  position  .  at  the  Penitentiary.  He  laughed 
heartily  while  speaking  of  his  second  appointment ;  said 


142  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

he  thought  the  meat  they  had  packed  for  the  prisoners 
had  spoiled  and  they  wanted  him — while  there  the  first 
time  he  had  charge  of  the  putting  up  of  the  meat  and 
was  successtul  in  keeping  it  in  good  condition — to  come 
and  fix  it  up  for  them.  It  seems  he  did  not  like  it  the 
second  time  and  again  resigned  and-  went  back  to  the 
police  force,  this  time  being  promoted  to  the  captaincy 
and  holding  the  position  until  1857,  at  which  time  Jno. 
Ewing,  of  Ross  county,  was  appointed  Warden.  It  had 
become  generally  known  by  this  time  that  James  A. 
Dean's  qualities  as  an  officer  were  exceptionally  good, 
which  was  fully  shown  by  Warden  Ewing  sending  for 
him  and  asking  him  to  accept  the,  position  of  Deputy 
Warden  under  him.  He  accepted  the  generous  offer 
and  on  the  6th  day  of  May,  1857,  he  first  appeared  in 
the  new  role  of  prison  management,  which  has  been  the 
great  topic  for  conversation,  discussed  by  both  political 
parties  pro  and  con,  and  the  decided  opinion  of  those 
who  were  in  positions  to  know,  is  that  he  was  the 
right  man  in  the  right  place.  Some  have  called  him 
cruel  and  unjust  to  the  prisoners — but  what  do  they 
know  about  it?  Who  are  the  parties  that  are  so  ready 
and  willing  to  speak  slander^jusly  of  the  old  man  ?  Have 
they  been  convicts  ?  If  they  have  been  and  were  cruelly 
treated  by  him,  why  did  they  not,  at  expiration  of  their 
sentence,  take  recourse  to  the  law  governing  such  mat- 
ters ?  A-U  modes  of  corporal  punishment  were  abolished 
in   1856,    and   any  cruelty  to    convicts  since  that  time 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH    OF   JAMES    A.     DEAN.  I43 

could  easily  have  been  looked  into  and  the  offender 
dealt  with  according  to  law.  Has  Mr.  Dean  ever  been 
dealt  with  in  such  a  manner?  Has  there  been  even 
talk  of  such  proceedings  ?  No  !  and  why  ?  Because 
there  is  no  truth  in  these  assertions ;  because  these  re- 
ports are  generally  circulated  by  ex-convicts  who,  while 
incarcerated,  tried  to  "beat"  the  prison  and  the  old 
deputy,  but  failing,  as  they  always  do,  seek  revenge  by 
circulating  rumors  of  the  old  man's  cruelty. 

There  are  some  very  bad,  stubborn  and  unruly  men 
confined  in  the  Ohio  Penitentiary.  The  reader  can  have 
but  a  faint  idea  of  the  class  of  men  to  which  some  of 
them  belong.  For  instance,  take  account  of  some  mur- 
der, where  the  victim  was  butchered  and  mangled  in  a 
manner  too  horrible  and  revolting  to  even  read  of,  then 
turn  your  attention  to  the  Penitentiary  and  consider  that 
place  filled  with  such  class  of  men.  From  this  you  can 
form  an  idea  of  the  work  of  the  Deputy  Warden,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  keep  these  men  in  subjection  and  see  that 
they  obey  the  laws  of  our  Honorable  Legislature  and 
the  rules  governing  the  prison.  Would  you  think  the 
task  an  easy  one  ? 

On  the  1 8th  of  August,  1813,  just  six  months  after 
the  birth  of  James  A.  Dean,  the  first  convict  ever  sen- 
tenced to  a  penitentiary  in  Ohio,  was  received  at  the 
old  Penitentiary,  which  stood  where  the  State  arsenal 
now  stands  on  Moun.d  street,  bordering  the  canal,  and  first 
occupied  in  18 15,  and  abandoned  for  the  present  one  in 


144  THE    CfHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


1835,  eight  years  prior  to  the  beginning   of  Mr.  Dean's    ] 
long  term  of  service.      A  picture  of  the  old  prison  still 
hangs  in  the  clerk's  office,  a  cut  of  which  is  the  frontis- 
piece of  this  book. 

At  the  time  of  the  erection  of  the  present  institution 
there  were  only  the  two  front  cell  houses  and  the  ad- 
ministration building,  and  the  number  of  cells  in  those 
two  blocks  was  750.  Mr.  Dean  has  seen  the  erection 
of  all  the  additional  cell  houses  and  the  enlarging  of  the 
prison  grounds.  The  number  of  cells  at  present  is 
1,630,  an  increase  of  880  cells,  showing  the  necessary 
buildings  added  since  that  time. 

Mr.  Dean  has  served  under  fourteen  Wardens,  mak- 
ing in  all  over  thirty  four  years.  On  the  6th  day  of 
May,  1884,  he  will  have  been  Deputy  Warden  just 
twenty-five  years,  and  in  that  time  he  has  been  the  eye- 
witness of  many  eventful  scenes  of  criminal  life.  There 
never  has  been  but  one  attack  made  upon  his  life  in  all 
these  years  of  service  and  that  was  during  the  last 
administration.  The  prisoner  was  Gus  Canton,  a  six 
year  man  from  Hamilton  county,  who  struck  him  with 
a  hammer  in  the  dining  room  one  day  while  at  dinner. 
The  blow  was  a  severe  one  on  the  left  jaw  and  would 
have  been  repeated,  but  the  wiry  old  deputy  grappled 
with  him  and  held  him  firmly  in  his  vice-like  grip  until 
one  of  the  guards  took  charge  of  him  and  locked  him 
up.  Canton  had  been  employed  in  the  deputy's  oflfice 
assisting  on   the   books   until   a  short  time  before   the 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH    OF   JAMES   A.     DEAN.  I45 

attack  was  made,  when  his  conduct  became  so  bad  it 
was  necessary  to  remove  him,  and  for  this  he  harbored 
revenge  and  imagined  the  deputy  and  other  officers 
were  down  on  him,  and  he  took  this  plan  to  "get  even" 
with  them.  In  conversation  recently  with  the  deputy 
he  said  Canton  was  the  first  and  only  man  in  the  prison 
or  out  of  it  that  ever  attacked  him,  although  on  many 
occasions  when  bringing  the  unruly  to  justice  has  he 
met  with  strong  resistance  from  enraged  and  desperate 
fellows,  but  in  every  instance  he  has, by  his  coolness  and 
firmness,  come  off  victorious.  I  have  yet  the  first  time 
to  hear  anyone  say  they  have  ever  seen  him  excited  or 
angry  while  dealing  with  a  prisoner,  but  on  the  other 
hand,  always  calm  and  firm,  which,  no  doubt,  has  been 
the  chief  cause  of  his  success.  If  the  prisoner  was  per- 
forming his  duty  faithfully,  Mr.  Dean  was  his  friend,  and 
would  praise  his  work  and  show  him  that  so  long  as  he 
would  be  a  good  boy,  James  A.  Dean  would  stand  by 
him  I  know  of  many  instances  where  prisoners  were 
reported  for  light  offenses  and  instead  of  being  punished 
they  received  a  good  lecture  from  the  old  deputy  and 
were  sent  back  to  their  work  with  light  hearts 

Often  has  he  been  heard  to  say:  "  My  boy,  what 
are  you  reported  for — for  talking  ?  Why  did  you  talk  ? 
Did  you  not  know  you  were  violating  the  rules?" 
"  Yes,  sir,  but  I  forgot."  "  Your  guard  did  not  forget 
to  report  you,  did  he  ?  If  I  let  you  go  back  to  your  work 
will  you  forget  and  talk  again?"     The  prisoner  would 


146  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


promise  and  be  sent  back  to  work.  These  facts  I  have 
seen  and  heard  and  are  only  a  few  of  the  many  similar 
ones  I  could  relate.  One  rather  peculiar  trait  of  Mr. 
Dean's  is  that  he  never  reports  a  man ;  if  he  finds  a 
prisoner  violating  the  rules  he  goes  to  him  and  adminis- 
ters a  good  store  of  advice,  reminding  him  that  if  some 
guard  had  caught  him  he  would  have  been  reported  and 
if  he  came  over  he  would  have  been  punished.  Many 
prisoners  will  ask  Mr.  Dean  for  a  favor  in  preference  to 
any  other  officer  of  the  prison.  They  were  men  who 
lived  up  to  the  rules  of  the  institution  and  who  knew 
the  deputy  was  their  friend,  and  knew  him  to  be  just  m 
treating  all  as  they  deserved ;  and  convicts  who  are  will- 
ing to  accept  the  laws  of  government  are  unanimous  in 
saying  Mr.  Dean  was  Just,  hmnane  and  kind. 

I  have  seen  the  old  deputy  with  tears  trickling  down 
his  cheeks,  when  present  at  an  interview  between 
mother  and  son.  I  remember  an  instance  where  a  boy 
had  been  received  at  the  prison  and  the  Chaplain  had  a 
Sunday  school  ticket  placed  on  his  cell  door,  and  the 
following  Sunday  his  guard  brought  him  to  Sunday 
school,  and  while  the  choir  was  singing  those  old  familiar 
hymns,  which  his  mother  had,  no  doubt,  often  sung 
to  him,  he  was  so  overcome  with  grief  that  he  cried 
aloud  in  the  most  piteous  manner.  Upon  the  instant 
Mr,  Dean  arose  from  his  seat  on  the  rostrum,  went  to 
the  boy,  and  twining  his  arms  around  his  neck,  with 
tears  streaming  from  his  eyes,  begged  him  to  bra^e  up 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH    OF   JAMES   A    DEAN.  1 47 

and  try  to  control  his  feelings.  It  is  needless  to  say 
every  eye  in  the  room  was  moist  from  weeping. 

One  of  the  greatest  features  in  the  history  of  his  prison 
life  is  his  wonderful  memory.  He  can  relate  incidents 
of  thirty  years  ago,  with  great  accuracy  ;  giving  dates  and 
names  in  such  clear  detail  that  the  listener  imagines  the 
happenings  of  but  a  few  months  past.  He  remembers 
all  the  prisoners,  when  they  are  received  and  enrolled, 
and  should  there  be  one  among  them  who  was  ever 
there  before,  he  will  take  a.  good  look  at  him  and  with 
one  of  his  peculiar  smiles  say,  "Hello!  John,  I  thought 
you  were  not  coming  back  any  more."  Often  they  will 
try  to  have  him  think  he  is  mistaken ;  but  no,  he  can 
tell  "John,"  where  he  worked,  and  just  what  kind  of  a 
prisoner  he  was,  which  would  settle  the  argument  at 
once. 

In  giving  his  experience  of  the  different  modes  of 
punishment  that  have  been  in  use  in  the  Prison  he  says 
the  catting — whipping  post — was  the  most  severe ;  and 
next  to  that  the  sweat-box  ;  either  punishment  unfitting 
the  prisoner  for  work.  I  failed  to  make  mention  of  the 
sweat-box  arrangement  when  giving  the  different  modes 
of  punishment,  so  I  shall  here  state  that  it  was  a  long 
box,  much  in  shape  of  a  side-cupboard,  just  tall  enough 
to  admit  a  man  standing,  while  the  depth  was  such  that 
when  the  door  was  closed  the  prisoner  was  completely 
encased;  or  in  other,  words  it  was  a  "neat  fit."  The 
only  air  he  could  get  was  admitted  through  a  few  holes 


148  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

arranged  diamond  shape  directly  in  front  of  his  face. 
After  being  thus  "shut  in"  the  steam  was  turned  on 
and  the  poor  fellow  would  in  a  very  short  time  become 
thoroughly  wilted.  They  were  usually  kept  in  from 
twenty  to  thirty  minutes. 

A  prisoner  in  relating  to  me  the  feelings  experienced 
in  undergoing  this  punishment,  said — "It  would  wilt 
the  d — 1  himself  in  less  time  than  it  takes  me  to  tell  it. 

This  mode  of  punishment  lasted  about  a  year — just 
one  year  longer  than  it  should  have  lasted,  as  it  was,  no 
doubt,  very  injurious  to  the  health  of  the  prisoner. 

Undoubtedly  Mr.  Dean  is  one  of  the  best  disciplin- 
arians in  the  world.  Of  course  refractory  convicts 
receive  no  sympathy  from  him,  nor  should  they  from 
any  one ;  their  smooth  tongues  and  winsome  looks  are 
only  an  assurance  to  the  wary  ofTficer  that  they  are 
scheming,  and  waiting  the  time  to  put  into  execution 
their  long  contemplated  and  carefully  laid  plans. 

Warden  Thomas  has  said  of  Mr.  Dean  that,  notwith- 
standing the  criticisms  and  abuse  that  have  been  heaped 
upon  him  from  time  to  time,  there  never  was  a  kinder 
hearted  man  about  the  prison,  nor  one  who  would  go 
farther  towards  helping  a  convict  reform ;  yet,  on  the 
other  hand  no  one  was  more  strict  in  enforcing  the  rules. 

In  1876  he  was  sent  to  Alleghany  prison,  Pennsylvania, 
for  an  escaped  convict,  Richard  Roe,  who  escaped  by  be- 
ing hauled  out  of  the  O.  P.  in  a  barrel.  While  gone  he 
visited  the  Centennial  and  other  places  of  interest,  after 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH    OF   JAMES    A.    DEAN.  I49 

which  he  went  to  the  prison,  identified  Richard  as  being 
the  man  he  wanted,  and  brought  him  back,  safely  land- 
ing him  behind  the  bars  of  the  O.  P.  again. 

In  the  fall  of  1882  he  and  his  wife  accompanied  their 
daughter  on  her  wedding  tour  to  Denver,  Colorado,  be- 
ing absent  nearly  two  months.  The  trip  was  taken  for 
the  benefit  of  his  health,  which  had  been  rather  delicate 
for  some  time  previous,  as  well  as  for  pleasure.  He  was 
greatly  benefited  by  the  trip,  looking  very  much  im- 
proved on  his  return ;  but  he  is  failing,  yet  his  form  is 
still  erect. 

There  is  no  one  in  these  United  States  so  well  known 
to  the  criminal  class  as  James  A.  Dean,  and  in  fact, 
all  who  have  ever  interested  themselves  in  prison  life 
are  familiar  with  his  name. 

Mr.  Dean  stands  five  feet  and  eleven  inches  in  height, 
his  face  is  quite  spare,  mouth  small  and  lips  thin,  high 
cheek  bones,  blue  eyes,  iron  gray  hair  and  short  whiskers 
under  his  jaws  and  chin.  He  wears  gold-rimmed 
spectacles,  regulation  uniform,  blue  cloth  double 
breasted  coat,  and  carries  a  heavy  hickory  cane.  This 
completes  the  picture  and  sketch  of  Father  Dean. 


150  THE    OHIO   PENITENTIARY. 

NOAH  THOMAS. 

Noah  Thomas  was  born  August  ist,  1834,  in  Fayette 
county,  Ohio.  His  boyhood  days  were  spent  on  a  farm 
assisting  his  father  in  his  agricultural  pursuits,  but  like 
many  other  young  men  he  conceived  the  idea  that  in 
order  to  advance  to  prominence  and  honor,  a  good 
classical  education  must  be  obtained.  He  began  shap- 
ing his  bearing  in  that  direction,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1858,  he  left  the  farm  and  entered  college.  In  speaking 
of  his  college  days,  he  says:  "  I  studied  hard  and  was 
determined  to  keep  up  with  the  class,  which  means,  to 
those  who  have  gone  through  a  similar  experience,  more 
than  I  shall  here  attempt  to  describe,  but  that  it  does 
mean  many  a  headache  and  many  hours  of  hard  study 
over  some  algebraic  problem,  or  some  difficult  passage  of 
history,  we  are  well  aware.  Often  has  the  gray  dawn  of 
approaching  day  found  the  student  pouring  over  his 
books." 

Shortly  after  Mr.  Thomas  left  college,  the  rebellion 
broke  out  and  with  thousands  of  others  he  enlisted,  and 
in  the  i  loth  O.  V.  I.  served  his  country  faithfully  until 
June  2,  1864.  At  the  battle  of  Cole  Harbor  he  lost  his 
left  arm  while  engaged  in  the  fight,  and  this  of  course 
closed  his  war  record.  He  was  discharged  from  the 
service,  and  returned  to  Madison  county,  Ohio,  where 
his  parents  had  moved  during  his  absence.  In  October 
of  the  same  year,  1864,  he  was  elected  County  Auditor 


BRIEF  SKETCHES  OF  NOAH  THOMAS  AND  DR,   GAY.     I5I 

of  Madison  county,  and  was  re-elected  for  five  successive 
terms,  making  in  all  nearly  twelve  years  he  served  as 
Auditor,  which  alone  shows  his  competency  and  worthi- 
ness. In  1866  he  was  married  to  Miss  Doris,  of  Zanes- 
ville,  Ohio.  Six  children  were  the  fruits  of  their  union, 
five  of  whom  are  living,  one  having  died  since  he  came 
to  Columbus.  April  22d,  1880,  he  was  appointed  War- 
den of  the  Ohio  Penitentiary,  and  at  this  writing  is  still 
holding  the  reins  over  the  guilty  and  unfortunate;  but 
ere  this  will  be  seen  in  print,  his  term  of  office  will  have 
expired,  and  the  great  penal  institution  will  again  have 
changed  its  colors,  and  those  who  have  listened  so  eagerly 
to  his  voice  in  the  chapel  explaining  some  feature  of  the 
law,  or  telling  them  they  may  talk  while  at  dinner,  will 
soon  be  listening  to  the  voice  of  another.  Mr.  Thomas 
is  very  unpretending  and  matter  of  fact  in  business,  but 
in  social  conversation  is  pleasant  and  at  times  jovial. 
He  has  commanded  the  respect  of  all  who  have  been 
officially  connected  with  him  since  his  appointment  as 
Warden,  and  is  universally  liked  by  the  prisoners,  who, 
upon  losing  him  as  their  Chief,  lose  a  friend  who  left 
nothing  undone  that  would  add  to  their  comfort  and 
welfare. 

In  showing  the  standing  of  the  prison  during  his  man- 
agement, I  have  given  clearly  his  mode  of  government 
and  the  care  he  has  taken  of  the  prisoner,  which,  added 
to  what  I  have  here  .written,  will  give  the  reader  a  brief 


1^2  THE   OHIO   PENITENTIARY. 


history  of  and  acquaint  him  with  one  of  the  Ohio  Peni- 
tentiary's nnodel  Wardens. 

DR.  NORMAN  GAY. 

Dr.  Gay  was  first  known  to  the  Ohio  Penitentiary  in 
1849  during  the  cholera  epidemic,  thirty-five  years  ago. 
He  was  but  recently  graduated  and  with  other  doctors 
came  to  the  prison  to  assist  in  taking  care  of  the 
stricken  convicts.  Doctor  Lathrop,  the  prison  physi- 
cian, was  taken  with  cholera  and  died ;  Doctor  Garb, 
one  of  those  who  kindly  aided  the  poor  unfortunates, 
also  died,  and  the  entire  work  fell  upon  Doctor  Gay, 
who  labored  both  day  and  night.  At  one  time  they 
died  faster  than  they  could  be  taken  away  for  burial, 
and  as  many  as  twenty  corpses  could  be  seen  at  one 
time.  The  scene  was  dreadful  and  required  nerve  to 
remain  and  work  among  them.  The  number  of  prison- 
ers confined  in  the  prison  at  that  time  was  about  four 
hundred,  of  which  over  one  hundred  and  twenty  died. 

Doctor  Gay  was  a  surgeon  through  the  late  war,  and 
in  1872  was  again  appointed  prison  physician,  but  his 
practice  in  the  city  was  so  large  that  after  serving  one 
or  more  terms  he  gave  up  the  position  and  devoted  his 
entire  time  to  his  city  work. 

In  1882  he  was  once  more  chosen  physician  of  the  O. 
P-.  and  at  the  close  of  the  present  administration  will 
have  served  over  two  years.       I  may  here  add  that  in 


BRIEF  SKETCHES  OF  NOAH  THOMAS  AND  DR.    GAY.     I  53 

1872  while  he  was  physician  the  cholera  again  broke 
out  in  the  "pen"  but  did  not  assume  an  epidemic  form, 
there  being  but  twenty  three  deaths  out  of  over  twelve 
hundred  men.  The  prison  has  been  visited  several 
times  by  small-pox  and  measles,  which  cast  a  gloom 
over  the  palace  (?)  for  a  time,  but  was  of  short  duration. 
The  worst  seige  of  small-pox  was  at  the  time  of  John 
Morgan's  incarceration. 

Doctor  Gay  is  very  unassuming  in  his  manner,  but 
no  doubt  has  forgotten  more  than  some  of  greater  pre- 
tentions ever  knew. 


PART   VI. 

Financial  Standing  of  the  Prison  at  various  times — Average 
Number  of  Convicts  each  year — General  Remarks — Origi- 
nal  Poems — Appendix. 


Statistical    Showing   of  the    Financial  Standing  of 
the  Prison  at  Various  Times  and  the  Aver- 
age Number  of  Convicts  Each  Year. 

F'or  the  year  i86i,  the  total  earnings  and  receipts  for 
the  prison  were  ;^  105, 879. 17,  and  the  expenditures  were 
^100, 125.28,  showing  a  balance  in  favor  of  the  prison  of 
$4,966.28.  The  average  number  of  convicts  was  965. 
We  now  give  a  lapse  of  ten  years.  For  the  year  1871, 
the  total  receipts  were  $182,887.60,  and  the  expendi- 
tures were  $178,261.74,  showing  a  balance  in  favor  of 
the  State  of  $4,625.96,  with  1,014  the  average  number  of 
convicts.  The  difference  in  the  10  years  is  suprisingly 
small  in  both  the  financial  standing  and  average  num- 
ber of  convicts.  The  highest  number  of  prisoners  at 
any  one  time  up  to  October,  1872,  was,  1099  in  1868. 
The  average  number  for  that  year  was,  1053  ;  for  1869, 
1018;  for  1870,  1013. 

In  1875,   the   total  receipts  for   the  institution   were 
$199,537.84,  and  the    expenditures  were  $179,202.35, 
^54 


FINANCIAL   STANDING   OF    THE    PRISON.  I55 

showing  balance  in  favor  of  State  of  ;^20, 335.49,  and  the 
average  number  of  convicts  was  1,257,  over  300  greater 
than  the  year  previous.  In  1879,  the  total  receipts  of 
prison  were  $172,2,61,02,  and  the  expenditures  were 
^176.097.36,  causing  a  deficiency  of  ;^3, 716,54;  the 
average  number  of  convicts  was  1,571.  In  1880,  the 
total  receipts  for  the  year  were  ^173,758.12,  and  the 
expenditures  were  ^186, 278.87,  adeficiency  of  ;^I2,520.- 
75,  with  the  average  number  of  prisoners  1,231.  The 
increase  of  prisoners  and  the  running  out  of  some  of  the 
contracts  added  much  to  the  cause  of  deficiency,  which 
the  reletting  of  the  contracts  on  the  ist  of  January  fol- 
lowing show.  In  1881,  the  total  receipts  were  ;^i90,- 
614.23,  and  the  expenditures  were  ^187,625.76,  leaving 
a  surplus  for  the  State  of  $2,988.47,  with  the  average 
number  of  prisoners  1,250.  The  close  of  this  manage- 
ment shows  everything  in  good  condition  with  flattering 
prospects,  which  were  fully  realized  in  the  next  year's 
report. 

In  1882,  the  total  receipts  were  $218,285.42,  and  the 
expenditures  were  $201,687.46,  a  surplus  in  favor  of  the 
State  of  $16,597.96,  with  average  number  of  convicts 
1,306.  The  number  of  prisoners  gradually  increased 
with  the  general  expense  of  the  institution.  In  1883, 
the  last  report  issued,  the  total  receipts  were  $245,110.- 
13,  and  the  expenditures  were  $192,069.05,  a  surplus 
gained  for  the  State  of  $53,041.08,  with  the  average 
number  of  convicts   1,364.     This  is  by  far   the    finest 


156  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

showing  the  institution  has  ever  had  and  certainly 
speaks  in  high  favor  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  Warden 
Thomas,  and  in  fact  all  the  officials  can  claim  a  share  of 
the  present  standing  of  the  institution. 


GENERAL  REMARKS. 

Before  closing  this  work  it  may  be  well  to  add  a  few 
general  remarks  and  give  a  few  of  the  manj'  schemes 
of  the  prisoner. 

The  reader  would  naturally  think  from  reading  the 
rules — duties  of  the  prisoner — that  any  communication 
between  prisoners  would  be  impossible,  that  the  ever- 
ready  and  watchful  eye  of  the  guard  would  detect  any 
scheme  they  might  have  in  view ;  but  such  is  not  the 
case. 

A  look,  a  wink,  or  a  certain  movement  of  the  head 
signifies  more  to  the  convict  than  an  entire  written 
page ;  for  by  such  signs  or  a  low  hiss  they  are  notified  of 
an  approaching  officer,  or  that  they  are  watched,  and 
with  a  sudden  change  of  features  they  hastily  conceal 
all  meaning,  and  thus  is  the  officer  many  times  thrown 
entirely  off  and  they  are  passed  by.  They  make  a 
study  of  signs  and  movements  that  they  may  readily 
communicate  with  each  other  in  the  shops  or  other 
parts  of  the  prison.  Each  contract  shop  is  furnished 
by  the  state  with  a  "runner,"  who  performs  errands  for 
the  guard  and  carries  water  for  the  prisoners,  and  it  is 


GENERAL    REMARKS.  I57 

they  who  have  opportunities,  in  passing  each  other  in 
the  yard  on  their  way  to  state  shop,  hospital,  or  Hbrary, 
to  communicate,  pass  notes,  or  trade,  which  cannot  well 
be  avoided.  Great  care  is  taken  in  selecting  convicts 
for  such  positions,  but  if  they  are  as  straight  as  a  string 
when  placed  on  such  work,  one  week  after  will  place 
them  on  the  crooked  list.  There  are  exceptions  to  the 
above  but  they  are  rare,  as  they  have  all  chance  for 
trading  or  "tinkering."  On  many  occasions  discoveries 
have  been  made  where  they  had  regular  trading  posts 
established  and  were  carrying  on  quite  a  little  business 
trading  tobacco  for  writing  permits,  &c.  One  writing 
ticket  has  been  known  to  bring  one  dozen  plugs  of 
tobacco,  showing  how  eager  some  are  to  write  to  friends 
and  what  risks  they  are  willing  to  run ;  full  well  they 
know  if  they  are  caught  they  will  be  punished  and  per- 
haps lose  the  "good  time"  given  them  for  clear   record. 

Tobacco  and  writing  permits  are  often  stolen  from  a 
fellow- convict,  and  usually  the  "runner"  gets  a  goodly 
share  of  the  barter  for  working  up  the  trade. 

There  are  many  trinkets  made  by  prisoners  and  some 
are  most  beautiful  in  design — fancy  wood  carving, 
knives,  toothpicks,  crochet  needles,  sleeve  and  collar 
buttons  are  made  on  the  sly.  It  is  termed  "tinkering," 
and  is  strictly  forbidden,  but  is  nevertheless  carried  on 
as  it  is  difficult  to  catch  them  at  such  work. 

One  of  the  most  laughable  instances  of  trading  was 
by  a  prisoner  whose  name  was  Morgan  (he  was  "run- 


158  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

ner"  for  Hayden's  plate  shops),  and  who  had  formed 
an  attachment  for  a  dog  belonging  to  the  prison,  of 
which  there  are  a  number,  and  at  times  when  not  em- 
ployed would  amuse  himself  by  teaching  the  animal 
various  tricks.  The  dog  became  greatly  attached  to 
Morgan  and  would  obey  anything  he  might  tell  him  to 
do.  I  am  unable  to  say  whether  or  not  Morgan  had  in 
view  what  I  am  about  to  relate  at  the  time  he  was  train- 
ing the  dog,  but  certain  it  is  that  it  worked  like  a  charm 
for  him.  The  well  that  furnishes  the  water  for  the 
prisoners  to  drink  stands  near  the  center  of  the  yard 
between  the  chapel  and  guard  room,  and  often  there 
are  several  prisoners  there  for  water  at  the  same  time, 
and  it  was  \Vhile  there  Morgan  would  sell  this  dog  for 
tobacco,  but  as  soon  as  he  had  used  up  what  he  had 
received  he  would  call  the  dog  back  and  sell  him  to 
some  one  else.  It  is  said  he  repeated  the  trick  sixteen 
times  before  he  was  found  out. 

Another  trick  is  finding  out  the  number  of  years  a 
new  man  has  to  serve.  This  is  done  by  holding  up  the 
number  of  fingers  signifying  the  number  of  years.  The 
new  man  does  not  at  once  understand,  but  soon  be- 
comes acquainted  with  the  meaning  by  seeing  it  prac- 
ticed by  others.  Some  talk  with  the  mouth  closed  and 
can  be  understood  ;  but  the  most  difficult  of  all  their 
schemes  is  the  note  business.  They  write  notes  and 
often  it  is  weeks  before  they  reach  their  destination  and 
the  only  way  of  finding  who  the  writer  is — they  are 


GENERAL    REMARKS.  159 


always  anonymous — is  to  see  the  note  leave  his  hands 
or  find  it  on  his  person.  They  often  communicate  with 
each  other  while  in  their  cells  by  means  of  a  string  and 
a  small  hook ;  at  this  they  are  frequently  caught,  as 
they  have  no  way  of  hiding  the  string  when  once  seen. 
The  schemes  given  are  only  a  few  of  the  thousand  and 
one  in  use  by  convicts,  and  of  which  the  writing  tell 
but  little  of  the  mental  study  by  which  these  schemes 
have  been  carried  out.  Their  plans  may  be  matured 
and  they  ready  for  action  when  some  disturbing  element 
suddenly  appears  which  frustrates  their  plans  for  months 
or  perhaps  altogether,  yet  they  never  seem  to  despair, 
but  patiently  await  something  to  turn  up  that  will  aid 
them  in  executing  their  plans.  These  risks  are  usually 
run  by  short  time  prisoners,  as  they  think,  of  course, 
they  will  get  out  at  the  end  of  their  sentence  anyway, 
therefore  will  take  greater  chances  and  be  more  inde- 
pendent. The  life  prisoner,  as  I  have  already  remarked, 
is  generally  the  best  behaved,  as  he  knows  his  only  hope 
for  liberty  is  through  the  sympathy  of  his  friends  and 
the  executive  clemency  of  the  Governor,  while  the 
main  thing  for  him  to  do  is  to  observe  the  rules  and 
carry  himself  in  a  proper  manner,  so  if  there  should  be 
an  effort  made  in  his  behalf  his  record  would  add  much 
strength  to  the  petition.  These  prisoners  are  a  better 
educated  class  of  men  than  those  who  are  imprisoned 
for  burglary  or  similar  offenses. 

The  officers  of  the  Ohio  Penitentiary,  especially  the 


l60  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

guards,  have  a  difficult  task  in  watching  the  men  placed 
under  them  to  be  impartially  and  justly  dealt  with.  In 
a  shop  may  be  fifty  men  and  not  two  of  the  number  of 
the  same  disposition  or  temperament,  consequently  the 
guard  must  study  his  men  that  he  may  always  be  ready 
to  instruct  or  command  properly  and  keep  the  discipline 
of  the  shop  what  it  should  be.  It  is  a  place  that  affords 
study  of  human  nature  and  one  of  the  most  extensive 
and  varied  one  can  find.  Some  are  of  a  nervous  tem- 
perament and  require  kindess  with  firmness  or  they 
imagine  their  guard  is  holding  spite  against  them,  while 
others  assume  that  stolid  indifference  that  requires 
sternness  and  an  unflinching  eye  resting  on  them  from 
morning  till  night,  and  should  the  guard  incline  to  leni- 
ency and  treat  them  in  a  humane  and  kind  manner  they 
soon  lay  their  plans  to  "beat  him." 

The  Deputy  Warden  watches  the  movements  of  the 
officers  equally  as  close  as  he  does  the  prisoners,  and 
often  he  finds  it  necessary  to  change  the  guards  in  shops 
and  on  the  wall  to  prevent  any  serious  trouble. 

The  institution  from  its  erection  to  1875  consisted  of 
only  three  directors.  Among  the  number  we  find  the 
names  of  some  of  our  prominent  citizens  who  served  as 
directors,  for  instance,  Mr.  Nat  Martin,  an  old  resident 
of  Columbus,  and  Theodore  Comstock,  also  of  Colum- 
bus, served  several  terms.  Mr.  Comstock  is  the  owner 
of  Comstock's  opera  building,  the  finest  in  the  city. 
He  is  also  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Columbus  Asylum 


GENARAL    REMARKS.  l6l 


for  Insane.  Recently  in  conversation  with  the  writer 
he  remarked  that  he  had  "about  gone  the  entire  round," 
meaning  he  had  been  connected  with  all  the  public  in- 
stitutions and  held  nearly  all  the  city  offices  of  any  im- 
portance. He  is  very  pleasant  and  jovial  in  conversa- 
tion and  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  him. 

In  1 86 1  the  members  of  the  Board  were  H.  E.  Par- 
sons, J.  J.  Wood,  and  J.  J.  Janney.  In  1872  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Board  were  James  L.  Bates,  George  Harsh, 
and  Stanley  Matthews,  of  Cincinnati  In  1876  General 
Walcutt  was  a  member  of  the  Board,  as  was  also  D. 
McConville  of  Steubenville,  O.,  who  is  now  Governor 
Hoadly's  private  secretary.  In  1879  Captain  C.  A. 
Boyd,  of  Ripley,  O. ,  served  a  term  as  director. 

The  annual  reports  show  all  who  have  been  connected 
with  the  prison  since  that  time. 

There  are  one  hundred  and  ten  officers  connected 
with  the  Ohio  Penitentiary,  of  which  number  I  shall 
give  the  names  of  chief  officers  who  have  had  control 
during  the  last  administration.  The  Board  of  Directors 
are  E.  F.  Blair,  Georgetown,  O.;  Gen.  E.  T.  Stickney, 
Republic,  O.;  Colonel  M.  Churchill,  Zanesville,  O.; 
Judge  Thos.  E.  Duncan,  Mt.  Gilead,  O.,  and  Mr.  H. 
Loewer,  of  Columbus,  O  ;  Warden,  Captairi  Noah 
Thomas,  London,  O.;  Deputy  Warden,  James  A.  Dean, 
Columbus,  O.;  Assistant  Deputy  Warden,  Edward 
Patten,  Hamilton,  O.;  Clerk,  Mr.  F.  Buehne,  Cleve- 
land, O.;  Assistant  Clerk,  D.  F.  Fox;   Chaplain,   I.    H. 


l62  THE    OHIO    PEMTENriARY. 


DeBruin,  Winchester,  O.;  Physician,  Dr.  N.  Gay,  Co- 
lumbus, O.;  Steward,  Henry  Becker,  Columbus,  O.; 
Supt.  of  -  Hospital,  Dr.  Fred.  Gunsaulus ;  Supt.  Con- 
struction and  Architect,  Geo.  H.  Roland;  Supt.  Yard, 
Samuel  Johnson  ;  Supt.  State  Shop,  A.  H.  Goodwin ; 
Supt.  Kitchen,  W.  Cramer ;  Supt.  Gas  Works,  R.  P. 
Green  ;  Capt.  Guard  Room,  day,  John  E.  Thrall,  and 
night,  O.  B.  McAdams  ;  Capt.  Night  Watch,  Geo.  H. 
Play  ford ;  Librarian,  J.  H.  Matthews ;  Matron  Female 
Department,'  Miss  R.  Houk,  and  her  assistant,  Mrs. 
Julia  A.  Glines.  There  is  a  guard  from  each  county  in 
the  state  and  six  surplus  men  to  take  charge  in  the  ab- 
sence of  the  regular  men.  Aside  from  the  officers  of 
the  prison  there  are  a  large  number  of  citizens  em- 
ployed, foremen,  superintendents  of  contracts,  engineers 
and  teamsters,  making  in  all  nearly  eighteen  hundred  of 
a  population  inside  the  walls  daily.  The  daily  mail  is 
as  large  as  a  town  of  2,000  population  would  have. 

The  time  gained  by  the  prisoner's  good  behavior  will, 
no  doubt,  be  interesting.  The  reader  can  plainly  see 
from  the  following  statement  the  great  inducement 
offered  them  for  proper  conduct. 

A  prisoner  sentenced  for  one  year  can  by  good  be- 
havior gain  fifty  days,  which  will  release  him  in  ten 
months  and  ten  days.  He  will  gain  five  days  per 
month  for  the  ten  months,  but  nothing  on  a  fractional 
part  of  a  month.  An  eighteen  months'  sentence  can 
gain  ninety-eight  days,  or  three  months  and  ten  days. 


GENERAL    REMARKS.  1 63 

A  two  years'  sentence,  one  hundred  and  thirty-three 
days,  or  four  months  and  thirteen  days.  A  three  years' 
sentence,  two  hundred  and  forty-three  days,  or  eight 
months  and  three  days.  A  four  years'  sentence,  three 
hundred  and  sixty  days,  or  one  year.  A  five  years' 
sentence,  four  hundred  and  fifty  days,  or  one  year  and 
three  months.  A  six  years'  sentence,  five  hundred  and 
forty  days,  or  one  year  and  six  months.  A  seven 
years'  sentence,  six  hundred  and  thirty  days,  or  one 
year  and  nine  months.  An  eight  yeais'  sentence,,  seven 
hundred  and  twenty  days,  or  two  years.  A  nine  years' 
sentence,  two  years  and  three  months.  A  ten  years' 
sentence,  two  years  and  six  months.  An  eleven  years' 
sentence,  two  years  and  nine  months.  A  twelve  years' 
sentence,  three  years.  A  fifteen  years'  sentence,  three 
years  and  nine  months.  An  eighteen  years'  sentence, 
four  years  and  six  months.  A  twenty  years'  sentence, 
five  years. 

This  time  to  be  gained  by  good  conduct  seems,  to 
the  majority  of  prisoners  when  they  first  come  in,  of 
very  little  consequence  in  comparison  with  the  long  sen- 
tence, but  after  they  have  served  their  short  time  and 
are  compelled  to  remain  longer — owing  to  bad  record — 
they  can  see  where  they  missed  it,  and  often  you  can 
hear  them  say:  "  I  wish  I  had  kept  my  record  clear — 
I  could  have  done  it."  This  is  not  all ;  after  they  have 
served  the  lost  time  and  been  discharged  they  can  not 
have  their  citizenship  restored.     A  prisoner  must  have 


164  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

a  clear  prison  record  to  have  his  citizenship  papers  re- 
stored to  him  by  the  Governor,  otherv/ise  it  is  required] 
by  law  that  he  shall  return  to  the  county  from  which  he 
was  sent  and  after  remaining  there  one  year  he  can 
make  application  to  the  Governor  for  his  papers.  The 
application  must  be  accompanied  by  the  names  of  ten 
or  more  influential  citizens  from  said  county.  The 
Governor  will  then  restore  to  him  a  restoration  of  his 
rights  and  privileges  forfeited  by  his  conviction  which 
restoration  shall  be  evidenced  by  a  certificate  from  the 
Governor  under  the  great  Seal  of  the  State,  Sec.  7432, 
Revised  Statute. 

The  allowance  for  each  prisoner  is  one  hat  or  cap, 
one  jacket,  two  hickory  shirts,  one  pair  of  pants,  one 
pair  of  shoes — in  the  winter  season  the  Warden  will 
allow  those,  who,  in  his  judgment,  require  it,  a  suffi- 
ciency of  under  wear — one  vest,  and  two  pairs  of  socks. 
Each  prisoner  may  also  have  in  his  possession  one 
handkerchief,  a  tooth  pick  and  brush,  a  fine  and  coarse 
toothed  comb,  letters  coming  through  the  office,  pic- 
tures of  his  friends,  his  ration  of  tobacco,  issued  by  the 
State,  a  knife  the  blade  not  to  exceed  one  inch  in  length 
and  made  blunt  at  the  point,  and  his  own  books,  his 
name  to  be  written  plainly  with  ink  across  the  printed 
matter  in  at  least  three  places. 

Prisoners  are  allowed  at  any  time  to  speak  with  the 
Governor,  Heads  of  Departments,  Supreme  and  Com- 
mon Pleas  Judges,  and  officers  of  the  Prison,  but  to  no 


GENERAL    REMARKS.  165 


one  else  except  by  an  order  from  the  Directors,  Warden, 
Clerk  or  Deputy,  and  which  must  at  all  times,  be  in  the 
presence  of  an  officer  of  the  Prison. 

The  rules  governing  the  contractors  and  their  em- 
ployees are  also  very  stringent.  They  (contractors)  are 
to  hold  no  intercourse  with  any  convict  other  than  those 
employed  or  superintended  by  them,  not  to  converse 
upon  any  subject  other  than  the  business  carried  on  by 
them.  They  must  confine  themselves  strictly  to  their 
business  and  are  not  to  leave  the  shop,  where  said  busi- 
ness is  carried  on,  nor  to  visit  any  other  part  of  the 
Prison.  They  are  not,  under  any  circumstances  what- 
ever, to  inflict  punishment  or  to  enforce  discipline  in 
any  manner  upon  any  convict.  They  are  to  report  to 
the  guards  having  charge  of  the  convicts  in  their  depart- 
ment all  violations  of  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the 
Prison.  They  shall  not  apply  any  harsh  or  opprobrious 
epithets  to  the  convicts  nor  use  any  profane  language 
in  their  presence. 

The  teamsters  or  other  persons  in  the  employ  of  the 
contractors,  who  may  occasionally  visit  the  prison,  shall 
not  be  permitted  to  speak  to  a  convict  without  permis- 
sion of  an  officer. 

All  officers  and  guards  are  expressly  charged  with 
the  execution  of  the  above  orders,  and  are  directed  to 
report  any  neglect  or  violation  of  the  same. 

The  above  shows  plainly  that  the  contractor  and  his 
employes  are  required  to  strict  obedience  of  the  rules 


1 66  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


same  as  the  officers,  and  all  that  is  necessary  to  have 
good  discipline  throughout  the  institution  is  for  the 
proper  officers  to  see  that  all  the  requirements  are 
strictly  adhered  to.  The  rules  are  plain  and  rigid,  but 
the  success  of  the  institution  depends  entirely  upon 
their  enforcement. 

I  shall  now  give  a  few  general  rules  of  the  institution : 
No  ardent  spirits,  wine,  beer  or  ale,  are  upon  any  occa- 
sion to  be  used  by  any  officer,  contractor  or  foreman  in 
or  about  the  prison  ;  neither  are  they  to  suffer  any  other 
person  to  bring  the  same  within  the  prison  walls  except 
for  the  hospital,  to  be  used  for  medicinal  purposes  under 
direction  of  the  Warden  or  physician. 

Profanity  by  any  officer,  guard,  contractor,  foreman, 
or  any  person  connected  with  the  prison,  is  positively 
prohibited  and  will  not  be  tolerated  under  any  circum- 
stance. They  are  called  upon  to  practice  that  by  way 
of  example,  which  they  are  required  by  precept  to  en- 
force. 

Any  guard  who  shall  sleep  while  at  his  post,  or  while 
in  charge  of  any  other  duty,  or  who  shall  behave  im- 
properly, shall  be  discharged  from  the  institution.  No 
officer  or  guard  of  the  prison  shall  buy  for  himself  any 
provision,  fuel,  supplies,  or  any  article  in  connection 
with  the  supplies  purchased  for  the  prison. 

No  contractor  shall  be  allowed  to  give  any  guard  a 
reward  or  present,  and  any  one  receiving  such  reward 
or  present  shall  be  immediately  discharged. 


VISITORS    AND    VISITORS*    CONDUCTOR.  167 

The  reader  will  notice  great  care  is  taken  in  express- 
ing the  meaning  of  the  above  rules  so  that  any  one 
violating  them  does  so  knowing  he  is  laying  himself 
liable  to  discharge. 


VISITORS  AND  VISITORS'  CONDUCTOR. 

A  book  entitled  "Visitors'  Register"  shall  be  kept  in 
the  visitors'  room,  in  which  shall  be  entered  the  name 
of  each  visitor  of  the  prison  with  his  or  her  place  of 
residence.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  visitors'  con- 
ductor to  see  that  each  person  desiring  to  pass  through 
the  prison  is  registered  in  conformity  with  the  above 
rules  before  conducting  him  or  her  through. 

All  persons — except  contractors,  their  foremen  and 
employees,  and  such  persons  as  are  authorized  by  law 
to  visit  the  prison — not  connected  with  the  prison  are 
regarded  as  visitors  and  are  subject  to  the  same  rules. 
Visitors  are  not  permitted  to  enter  the  prison  unless 
accompanied  by  an  officer  or  guard  of  the  prison,  and 
while  within  the  prison  walls  will  be  under  the  surveil- 
lance of  the  officer  or  guard  accompanying  them. 
Visitors  will  have  no  intercourse  with  the  convicts  and 
when  passing  through  the  prison  must  conduct  them- 
selves in  a  quiet  and  orderly  manner;  loud  talking, 
laughing,  and  personal  allusion  to  convicts  by  remarks 
or  pointing  are  positively  prohibited. 


1 68  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

No  ex-convict  or  intoxicated  person  will  be  pernnitted 
to  visit  the  prison  or  grounds  under  any  pretext  what- 
ever. All  visitors  must  enter  and  depart  by  way  of  the 
guard  room.  Visitors  will  only  be  allowed  on  Sunday 
during  church  service  and  are  required  to  leave  the 
prison  yard  before  the  prisoners  leave  the  chapel. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  any  officer  or  guard  of  the 
penitentiary  to  see  when  persons  are  found  within  the 
prison  contrary  to  or  in  violation  of  any  of  the  above 
rules  that  they  are  at  once  stopped  and  made  to  leave 
the  prison  grounds. 

Visitors  shall  be  charged  a  fee  of  twenty-five  cents  for 
passing  through  the  prison.  A  large  number  of  visitors 
from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  visit  the  Ohio  Peni- 
tentiary; there  is  never  a  day  passes,  no  matter  how 
inclement  the  weather,  that  some  one  does  not  pass 
through.  During  the  summer  excursions  from  different 
places  visit  the  prison  and  sometimes  number  over  two 
thousand  in  one  body.  The  conductor  is  kept  con- 
stantly busy  on  his  daily  rounds. 

The  receipts  for  visitors  during  the  year  1883 
amounted  to  nearly  six  thousand  dollars,  the  largest 
amount  ever  received  for  visitors  alone. 

I  now  close  this  small  volume  with  a  hope  that  the 
reader  may  be  fully  satisfied  with  its  contents  and  not 
bored  to  death,  as  is  often  the  case  by  having  things 
misrepresented. 

What  I  have  written  has  been  carefully  taken  from 


VISITORS   AND    VISITORS'    CONDUCTOR.  1 69 

the  records  and  learned  while  in  conversation  with  those 
who  have  been  in  positions  to  know.  I  have  confined 
myself  exclusively  to  facts  and  am  assured  that  the 
reader  will  have,  after  reading  these  pages,  an  accurate 
idea  of  the  workings  of  the  Ohio  Penitentiary. 


Original  Poems. 


GRADE  AND  PAROLE. 

Grade  or  Degrade  which  will  it  be, 
Degrade,  I'm  afraid  for  men  like  me  ; 
The  scheme  for  drawing  a  line  o'er  the  heart. 
Proves  "  Legislators  "  not  very  smart. 
They  do  worse  things,  to  get  into  office. 
Than  convicts  would  ;  than  grade  and  scoff  us, 
Far  better  inquire  about  ones  guilt, 
And  plunge  their  sword  up  to  the  hilt 
Into  every  perjured  witness  found; 
Then  grade,  and  parade,  certain  ones  around. 
This  opinion  is  mine,   draw  the  color  line, 
While  you  are  getting  things  here  so  very  fine. 
And  make  a  white  and  black  divide, 
Placing  the  Black  man  on  his  side. 
They  are  afraid  of  scuttling  their  political  boat ; 
They  don't  like  the  nigger,  but  they  do  like  his  vote. 
Far  better  let  the  prisoner  be, 
I'll  compare  with  them  my  pedigree. 
There's  many  a  prisoner  that  outranks  them  all. 
And  in  Heaven  receives  a  quicker  call. 
170 


ORIGINAL    POEMS.  I/I 


One  is  either  guilty  or  he  is  not, 
If  not,  a  "  parole,  "  will  make  him  hot ; 
If  guilty,  he'll  take  it  and  skip  away, 
To  commit  a  crime  large  enough  to  pay. 
Far  better  begin  and  "  reform  yourselves," 
Instead  of  playing  the  canning  elves  ; 
You'd  better  stop  both  grade  and  degrade 
Before  more  criminals  are  made. 

An  Acute  Observer, 


A  GLIMPSE  OF  WHO   HAS   BEEN   IN   PRISON. 

I  begin  way  down  in  Pharaoh's  land, 
To  show  who  has  been  in  prison  ; 
And  how  its  done  by  underhand. 
And  falshoods  and  mistakes  ariseii. 

A  lady  there  in  shear  dispair. 
Fell  in  love  witli  Joseph  fair, 
And  took  him  by  the  arm  and  throat. 
Virtuous  man,  fled  without  iiis  coat. 

The  would-be  lover,  to  hide  her  shame, 
Tried  the  recriminating  game  ; 
And  kept  the  coat  for  proof-in-hand 
To  assure  her  virtue  to  her  dear  husband. 

He  insulted  me,  than  ran  away, 

The  husband  thrust  Joseph  in  prison  ; 


172  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

What  could  the  innocent  prisoner  say, 
False  imprisonment  had  full  sway. 


Daniel  the  Prophet,  in  the  lion's  den, 
Who  was  placed  therein  by  scheming  men  ; 
They  laid  a  snare  to  have  him  killed. 
But  Daniel  proved  to  be  well  skilled. 

Other  Prophets  were  in  durance  vile. 

To  tell  it  all  is  not  worth  while ; 

Come  down  to  the  time  of  Christ  our  Saviour, 

And  read  about  society's  behavior. 

Paul  and  Silas  were  thrust  in  jail. 
For  following  in  the  Savior's  trail ; 
The  Martyr  Stephen,  too,  must  atone, 
They  murdered  the  pious  men  with  stones. 

And  John  the  Baptist,  they  too  dreaded. 
And  for  self  protection  he  was  be-headed; 
By  the  same  society  then  protected, 
A  mistaken  public  which  subjected. 

If  saints  and  holy  ones  were  confined. 
What  can  we  expect  from  my  wild  kind ; 
The  world  is  full  of  mistakes  to  day, 
Which  none  but  a  victim  can  explain  away. 


ORIGINAL    POEMS.  I73 


HIDDEN  GEMS. 

Many  a  valuable  gem  may  be 
Hidden  in  a  fathomless  sea, 
Or  buried  deeply  in  the  ground, 
Where  it  never  will  be  found. 

Many  a  sparkling  gem  may  shine, 
Which  its  possessor  loves  to  call  mine ; 
And  devotes  his  whole  time  at  its  shrine, 
Forgetting  by  whose  power  its  thine. 

With  indications  that  its  pure, 
And  scintillations  that  allure. 
Even  rivaling  the  famous  Koorinoor. 
Which  cannot  one  true  test  endure. 

« 

So  a  precious  thought  may  be 
Concealed  where  none  but  God  can  see. 
Locked  within  a  human  breast. 
To  be  entomed  at  last  with  all  the  rest. 

Which  would  have  seemed  good,  had  it  been  known, 
But  alas !  like  the  grass,  its  overgrown. 
So  a  thought  even  thought  to  be  good, 
May  be  issued  at  times,  used  as  brain  food. 

Oft  worth  is  concealed  through  fear  of  shame, 
By  those  who  are  reserved; 


174  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

The  world  has  a  perfect  right  to  claim, 
All  good  thoughts  thus  preserved. 

A  truth  concealed,  should  be  revealed, 
The  test  will  be  to  it  a  shield  ; 
Come  out  with  everything  you  know, 
And  give  the  false  a  quick  death  blow. 


AT  THIRTY-NINE— IN  PRISON. 

To-day  the  wrinkles  on  my  brow, 
And  my  white  skin  mummy-face. 
Informs  a  careful  observer  how 
Time  conquers  the  human  race. 

In  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-five, 
A  judicial  mistake  buried  me  alive  ; 
I  then  was  a  young  and  vigorous  lad. 
But  now  my  pale  face  looks  so  sad. 

The  sparkling  lustre's  left  my  eye, 
I  continually  am  heaving  an  inward  sigh 
And  I  will  tell  the  reason  why — 
Both  my  convictions  were  a  lie. 

I  mourn  o'er  them  by  day  and  night, 
And  oft  when  thinking  feel  like  fight ; 
Because  I  cannot  set  them  right. 
On  account  of  public  imaginative  flight. 


ORIGINAL    POEMS.  175 


The  world  ignores  me  to  a  man, 
Providence  blinds  them  all  she  can, 
By  putting  them  on  to  a  false  track, 
Making  the  burden  break  my  back. 

The  still  small  voice  within  my  liciirt 
Has  told  me  hourly  from  the  start, 
That  I'm  entirely  free  from  guilt, 
Although  condemned  for  blood  thr.t's  spilt. 

What  can  I  do  but  mourn  and  write, 
While  locked  up  in  this  prison  tight ; 
Life's  mysteries  can  never  be  solved, 
And  I  am  not  alone  involved. 

One  who  reads  history  knows  much  mystery. 
And  sees  victims  by  the  score ; 
Of  my  own  mystery  /  have  written  a  history 
In  a  book  of  poetical  lore. 

No  one  person  can  I  blame. 
For  heaping  on  me  all  this  shame. 
Circumstances  made  the  chain 
And  welded  it  on  against  the  grain. 

The  guilt  of  each  is  pre-supposed, 
The  minute  they  are  once  enclosed. 
And  ever  after  kept  a  slave, 
And  slandered  till  they  fill  a  grave. 


1/6  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

Many  in  prison  cannot  show  their  wrong, 
And  hence  are  kept,  wrongfully — long; 
Simply  for  lack  of  proof  and  friends  ; 
Is  this  what  a  just  law  intends? 

A  man  in  prison  may  not  be  a  knave, 
Yet  he  is  treated  like  a  slave ; 
They  care  not  whether  you  are  guilty  or  not, 
But  say  you  deserve  just  what  you  got. 

I'll  act  the  man,  and  face  my  fate, 
Although  the  thought  may  irritate 
I'll  die  game,  facing  the  world. 
Hoping  to  see  the  mystery  unfurled 

And  the  public  shown  what  they  have  done. 
Not  to  myself  alone,  but  to  many  a  one. 
That  they  have  wrongfully  caused  distress, 
To  me  it  will  approximate  redress. 


THE  CINCINNATI  RIOT. 

Oh,  fatal  Cincinnati  to  disastrous  woes  a  prey. 

So  soon  to  follow  Ohio's  flood,  comes  this  disgraceful  fray  ; 

That  time  can  ne'er  efface,  nor  deep  contrition  heal 

The  wound,  from  this  the  greatest  blow,  your  city  now  must 

feel. 
Your  dens  of  vice,  your  lawless  men,  of  every   grade   and 

clime. 


ORIGINAL   POEMS.  177 


And  gilded  palaces  of  sin,  with  scenes  but  to  inflame, 
That  drive  your  men  to  violence,  your  women  to  open  shame 
Now  staggers  'neath  the  blow,  nor  soon  will  firmly  stand, 
Till  vice  and  wanton  pleasure  cease,  and  lawful  right  com- 
mand, 
Until  your  city's  vice  to  man's  memory  is  lost. 
Till  every  guardian  for  the  right  stands  firmly  at  his  post, 
And  law  and  order  be  restored,  stern  justice  to  impose. 
And  with  an  iron  hand  you  strangle  all  her  foes. 
Till  then  and  only  then,  will  you  redeem  your  name. 
And  thus  a  sure  foundation  lay,  to  build  a  future  fame ; 
For  thousands  through  the  land  to-day  indignant  feel, 
Who  in  the  past,  with  pride,  approved  your  city's  weal. 
But  now  their  voice  is  raised,  they  openly  condemn 
A  power  too  weak  to  rule,  a  city  so  steeped  in  sin. 
And  at  the  door  of  vice,  and  passionate  scenes  that  thrill, 
Allowed  by  law  to  furnish,  shield  men  who  dare  to  kill, 
The  blame  lies  there  ;  for  murderers  escape  punishment  with 

ease. 
Trials  are  a  mockery  through  lawyers'  liberal  fees. 
Then,  Oh !  how  deep  the  shame,  your  city  now  must  feel, 
When  disgraceful  riot  to  oppose,  your  power  could  not  repeal, 
Nor  check  the  rabble  horde,  but  called  upon  the  State 
To  save  a  boasted  fame,  yet  lose  a  Court  House  great. 
But  here  I  drop  the  veil,  with  words  I  fail  to  trace 
The  secret  of  your  crimes,  the  depth  of  this  disgrace. 
When   a  city  of  wealth  and  knowledge,  and   men  of  great 

renown. 
Fails  to  sway  the  scepter,  yet  claims  to  wear  the  crown. 

This  is  a  convict's  idea  of  the  cause  of  the  riot  ex- 
pressed in   rhyme,  and  is  thought  to  cover  the  ground. 


178  THE   OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

SUNSHINE.  4 

The  warm  sunshine  streams  through  hazy  autumn  air, 
And  shines  on  people,  heathen  and  wavy  buck-wheat  fair. 
Upon  the  smoky  chimneys  and  church  steeples  tall, 
And  upon  the  trees- that  grow  within  the  prison  wall. 

Upon  the  sentinel  whose  never  ceasing  tread 

Who  daily  marches    the    ramparts  o'er,  so  high  above  our 

heads. 
And  to  our  prison  window,  that  lies  within  their  view. 
Though   far    above    our   reach   the   sunshine    still   streams 

through. 

And  sends  a  cheering  ray  of  gladness  to  our  heart, 
Made  sad  by  lonely  solitude  its  cheering  rays  impart. 
That  higher  will  controls  the  beams,  and  man  to  know 
The  sun  would  fail  to  shoot  a  ray  without  Goi/  to  twang  the 
bow. 

"A   FABLE." 

Said  the  dove  to  the  crows. 

Fly  quick  from  your  bed, 
And  all  your  tribe  know 

The  owlet  is  dead. 

Bid  mice  and  the  cricket, 
The  worms  and  the  ants, 


ORIGINAL   POEMS.  1 79 

The  snakes  in  the  thicket 
All  come  form  their  haunts. 

We  will  tear  him  asunder, 

And  spare  not  a  bone, 
Then  place  him  all,  under 

The  weight  of  a  stone. 

Where  the  mice  and  the  worm, 

The  ants  and  the  snakes, 
Without  fear,  without  harm 

May  feast  on  his  steaks. 

All  the  night  hawks  may  chant 

A  dirge  at  his  grave. 
While  the  whippowils  rant, 

And  nightingales  rave. 

We  will  shed  not  a  tear. 

But  greatly  rejoice. 
And  never  man  hear 

The  sound  of  his  voice. 

Now  the  owlet  alive 

But  moped  on  the  ground. 
While  his  foes  all  arrive 

And  eager  to  wound. 


l8o  THE   OHIO   PENITENTIARY. 

For  Appolo's  bright  glare 
Had  dazzled  his  anger, 

While  Diana's  soft  hair 
Hung  low  on  the  skies. 

The  crows  they  croaked  on  him, 
The  snakes  would?  all  hiss, 

And  the  mice  whistled  on  him 
In  raptures  of  bliss. 

They  had  come  from  the  hills, 
The  dales  and  the  swamps, 

O'er  rivers  and  rills 
By  the  fireflie's  lamp. 

To  part  on  the  ov^let. 
Brave  king  of  the  night, 

And  together  would  haul  it 
With  all  of  their  might. 

I  must  sleep,  says  the  dove, 
I  too,  said  the  crow, 

\Vhile  our  friends  in  the  grove 
Are  watching  below. 

Let's  fly  to  yon  bower, 
That  stands  by  the  stream. 

To  blink  for  an  hour, 
And  dream,  if  we  dream. 


ORIGINAL   POEMS. 


I8l 


Whippowil — ^Whippowil, 

Oh,  owlet  reply, 
Now  is  loud  and  shrill 

From  a  swamp  close  by. 

T'is  the  night  bird's  warning 
That  daylight  has  fled 

To  the  owl  of  the  morning 
To  the  dove  took  for  dead. 

Wa-Hoot,  Te-Hoot, 
Poor  owlet  revives, 

While  the  whole  Bug-a-boo 
Will  fly  for  their  lives. 

With  a  crow  in)  each  claw, 

A  dove  in  his  bill, 
That  universal  law 

Compells  him  to  kill. 

He  soars  o'er  the  heathen 
On  wings  of  delight. 

With  unruffled  feathers 
Still  king  of  the  night. 


KATY  DID. 
Here  I  sit  and  here  I  ponder. 
With  dreamy  thoughts  and  visions  fair, 


1 82  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 


Lofty  callers  without  numbers 
Are  built  upon  the  putrid  air. 


Here  1  watch  the  cunning  spider, 
And  profound  lessons  I  receive; 

When  his  web  is  woven  wider 
For  little  flies  he  would  deceive. 


Here  I  trace  the  lustrous  moonbeams 
That  stray  between  the  diamond  bars, 

Whose  silvery  light  more  beautious  seems 
When  skies  are  spangled  with  the  stars. 

Here  I  sit  and  muse  till  morning, 
O'er  things  revealed  and  others  hid, 

Wliile  a  voice  as  if  in  scorning 
Boldly  declares  that  Katy  Did. 

I  wonder  what  poor  Katy  done.'' 
When  I  hear  her  thus  accused 

1  only  think  she  loved  some  one 
And  that  some  one  was  refused. 


Perhaps  she  loved  a  gallant  crook 
Who  swelled  her  head  with  lusty  lore, 

And  oft  I've  the  gallant  took 

Loves  welcome  kiss,  and  nothing  more. 


1 


ORIGINAL    POEMS.  183 


Perchance  she  tripped  the  mazy  dances, 
At  Gaylord's  Grove  till  break  of  morn, 

With  winning  smiles,  loving  glances. 

And  thus  incurred  some  old  maid's  scorn. 


Who  in  the  darkness  of  the  grove, 
May  hurl  abuse  on  Katy's  head 

And  screech  the  words  she  cannot  prove 
Till  daylight,  and  night  has  fled. 


LINES  ON  THE  PAST. 

Ah,  well  do  I  remember  when  1  was  but  a  child, 

A  mother's  loving  face  that  always  on  me  smiled, 

The  lessons  that  she  taught  me,  whan  I  was  tired  of  play ; 

Or  with  a  loving  kiss  would  wipe  the  tears  away. 


She  would  take  me  on  her  knee  when  I  was  quite  a  boy, 
And  press  me  to  her  heart  with  a  mother's  fondest  joy  ; 
Pass  lightly  o'er  my  faults  and  never  once  chastize. 
But  with  forbearing  spirit  always  would  advise. 

Then  when  in  manhood's  prime,  I  embarked  in  public  life, 
I  found  my  pathway  strewn  with  thorns,  all  was  care  and 

strife ; 
No  mother's  loving  voice  to  cheer  me  on  the  way. 
Or  guide  me  with  her  counsel,  keep  me  from  going  astray. 


1 84  THE   OHIO   PENITENTIARY. 

Now  I  am  unhappy,  my  punishment  severe, 

For  soon  the  words  forgot,  she  whispered  in  my  ear ; 

And  now,  too  late  I  see,  the  folly  and  the  shame. 

That  will  always  be  attached  to  my  once  unsullied  name. 

May  kind  heaven  in  its  mercy  grant  me  a  sure  relief, 
Look  with  an  eye  of  pity  on  my  repented  grief. 
And  may  my  sainted  mother  look  with  pity  from  above, 
Upon  her  erring  son,  who  here  on  earth  she  loved. 

And  when  at  last  on  earth  my  journey  shall  be  o'er, 
May  I  a  home  of  safety  find  upon  that  other  shore  ; 
A  crown  of  glory  wear  and  with  the  angels  sing 
Around  the  throne  of  Him  who  rules  Eternal  King. 

\ 

In  speaking  of  a  person's  faults. 
Pray  don't  forget  your  own  ; 
Remember  those  in  houses  glass, 
Should  never  throw  a  stone. 

If  you  have  nothing  else  to  do. 
But  talk  of  those  who  sin, 
'Tis  better  to  commence  at  home, 
And  from  that  point  begin. 

We  have  no  right  to  judge  a  man 
Until  he's  fairly  tried. 


ORIGINAL    POEMS.  1 85 


Should  we  not  like  his  company, 
We  know  the  world  is  wide. 

Some  may  have  faults  and  who  have  not, 
The  old  as  well  as  the  young ; 
We  may,  perhaps,  for  aught  we  know, 
Have  fifty  to  their  one. 

I'll  tell  you  of  a  better  plan. 
And  I  find  it  works  full  well, 
To  try  my  own  defects  to  cure, 
Before  of  others  tell. 

And  though  sometimes  I  hope  to  be. 
No  worse  than  some  I  know. 
My  own  shortcomings  bid  me  let 
The  faults  of  others  go. 

Now  let  us  when  we  commence 
To  slander  friends  or  foe, 
Think  of  the  harm  one  word  may  do 
To  those  we  little  know. 

Remember  curses  sometimes,  like 
Our  chickens  roost  at  home  ; 
Don't  speak  of  others'  faults,  until 
We  have  none  of  our  own. 

PARODY  ON  JIM  FISK. 

Kind  friends  now  draw  nigh,  to  please  you  I'll  try. 
The  words  of  a  convict  I'll  risk. 


1 86  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

Who  is  lonely  sometime,  mourns  his  trouble  in  rhyme, 

To  be  sung  in  the  tune  of  Jim  Fisk, 

And  if  through  your  heart  you  feel  sympathy  dart, 

As  you  list  to  the  words  used  now  and  then 

Of  the  sad,  doleful  strain  of  the  convict's  refrain, 

Oh,  pity  him  then  in  the/^«. 

Who  through  long  weary  days  not  a  word  dare  he  say. 

Scarce  a  smile  dare  come  over  his  face, 

For  the  guard  so  severe  who  the  convict  does  fear. 

No  mercy  does  show  in  this  place. 

Oh,  pity  him  then  you  more  human  men, 

Think  not  he  is  hardened  to  sin, 

Who  knows  but  his  heart  with  repentence  does  smart. 

Oh,  pity  him  then  in  the  pe?i. 

\ 
Perhaps  when  a  child  he  was  tender  and  mild. 
In  his  heart  no  evil  did  dwell, 

Ne'er  a  thought  that  a  day,  he  from  home  far  away, 
Would  be  cast  in  a  vile  prison  cell  ; 
And  as  thoughts  o'er  him  come  of  a  once  happy  home, 
He  ne'er  will  look  on  again. 
It  causes  a  sigh,  brings  a  tear  to  his  eye. 
Oh,  pity  hiiTi  then  in  the  pen. 

Oh,  sad  was  the  day  when  from  home  he  did  stray, 
Where  once  he  was  happy  and  free, 
With  a  fond  mother's  love  his  footsteps  to  guide. 
And  help  him  from  going  astray. 


ORIGINAL    POEMS.  ig/ 


But,  alas,  when  too  late,  he  morns  his  sad  fate, 
And  tears  down  his  cheeks  fall  like  rain, 
He  bewails  him  his  lot,  his  lone  prison  cot. 
Oh,  pity  him  then  in  the/^«. 

Kind  friends  don't  look  down  with  scorn  and  a  frown 

On  the  convict  when  free  once  again. 

For  his  crime  be  it  said,  with  his  liberty  paid 

An  atonement  to  wash  out  the  stain. 

But  do  all  you  can  to  help  fallen  man. 

We  know  'tis  nature  to  sin. 

And  if  you  by  him  stand  with  brotherly  hand 

He  will  languish  no  more  in  the  pen. 


AN  AUTUMN   POEM. 

Come  look  through  the  window  with  me,  dear  friend  ; 

See  the  charms  of  Nature  with  harmony  blend ; 

At  the  beautiful  picture  that  before  us  is  spread 

With  the  birth  of  "October,"  for  summer  is  dead. 

On  yonder  hillside  stand  in  serried  ranks  the  trees, 

Waving  their  crimson,  golden  banners  to  the  autumn  breeze. 

It  seems  they  are  out  on  full  dress  parade  to-day. 

And  the  Grand  Marshal,  Frost.,  has  come  to  say 

He  will  inspect  them,  and  they  must  don  their  best ; 

And  quickly  at  his  bidding  they  put  on  their  chilly  vest — 

A  uniform  "  not  uniform,"  more  pleasant  to  behold, 

Because  of  its  variety  of  colors  tinged  with  gold. 

There's  deep  crimson,  brilliant  yellow,  brown,  and  purple  hue, 


l88  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY 

And  green  mixed !  and  exquisite  blending  of  color,  too. 

No  human  painter  could  rival  with  his  artistic  hand 

That  which  Nature,  the  queen  of  artists,  spreads  throughout 

the  land ; 
And  as  higher  and  higher  you  see  the  mountain  peaks  arise, 
And  ledges  of  old  gray  rock  loom  upward  toward  the  skies. 
Where  the  young  folks  used  to  ramble  gathering  scarlet  ber- 
ries and  green, 
Fine  leaves  to  crown  their  heads,  and  they  were  often  seen 
Sitting  on  the  broad,  flat  ledges  ;  some  cracking  nuts  and  some 
Were  telling  stories ;  and  the  merr}'  mountain  songs  would 

come 
Who  loved  to  hear  the  echo's  welkin  ring, 
As   note  after  note,   from   crag  to  crag,  would  back  upon 

them  fling. 
And  here,  amid  these  caves  in  the  hillside,  one  a  story  told, 
How  long  ago,  the  largest  one  v^ys  home,  a  band  of  robbers 

bold, 
Who  committed  depredations  ui)on  the  nearest  town. 
And  could  not  be  routed,  until  at   last   this  rocky  cave  was 

found. 
'Tis  now  many  years  ago  this  liappened,  and  only  the  fox 

and  rabbit 
Seem  the  living  things  that  does  this  cave  inhabit ; 
Save  when  a  party  of   ramblers  by  chance  this   cave  will 

meet. 
But  ver}^  few  of  the  timid  sex  will  enter  the  gloomy  retreat. 
Down  in  the  valley,  at  the  foot  of  this  ridge,  runs  a  murmur- 
ing brook. 


ORIGINAL    POEMS.  1 89 


Whose  waters  twinkle  in  the  smoky  light,  and,  if  you  further 
look, 

You  will  see  the  "  golden  rod  "  and  "  astor  "  and  yellow  sun- 
flower there, 

For  in  days  agone  I  have  gathered  them  to  decorate  my  hair. 

And  over  all  the  golden  autumn  sunlight  shines  serenety's 
pale. 

Soft  haze,  enveloping  all  with  its  dreamy,  transparent  veil. 

The  very  air  is  pervaded  with  a  sense  of  Heavenly  cheer. 

The  season  may  well  be  called  the  "  Sabbath  of  the  year," 

For  it  rests  from  all  its  labor,  and  looks  with  happy  pride 

On  the  sweet  fruition  of  its  work  o'er  landscape  far  and  wide. 


APPENDIX. 

Since  the  body  oi  this  work  was  written  there  have 
been  a  few  changes  which  it  is  necessary  to  note. 

Andrew  Egner  was  pardoned  by  Gov.  Foster,  Jan. 
12,  1884,  after  serving  nine  years  and  six  days  on  life 
sentence.  The  pardon  was  a  surprise  to  almost  every- 
body, especially  the  officers  of  the  prison,  as  it  was 
thought  there  were  many  more  worthy  cases  for  execu- 
tive clemency. 

William  V.  Terrell  died  of  consumption  Feb.  15, 
1884,  after  serving  six  years,  one  month  and  one  day. 
His  friends  came  for  his  body  and  took  it  to  Gore,  O., 
for  burial.  The  citizens  of\  Gore  refused  interment  in 
the  village  cemetery  on  account  of  his  having  been  an 
inmate  of  the  Penitentiary.  They  buried  him  on  the 
old  homestead  farm  and  in  sight  of  the  Weldon  farm, 
where  the  murder  was  committed. 

It  has  been  said  that  Terrell's  relatives  have  instituted 
suit  against  the  parties  who  refused  his  body  burial,  but 
as  to  the  facts  of  the  matter  I  am  not  able  to  say. 

The  House  bill  that  was  pending  during  the  sitting  of 
the  66th  General  Assembly  for  the  abolishing  of  the 
contract  convict  labor  system  has  at  last  passed  both 
branches  of  the  Legislature  and  is  a  law  which  will  take 
effect  May  ist,  1884. 
190 


APPENDIX. 


191 


If  provides  that  the  convicts  shall  be  employed  ex- 
clusively for  state  work.  The  present  contracts  are 
not  affected  by  the  law,  but  as  fast  as  they  expire  the 
convicts  will  be  employed  on  state  work. 

It  provides  a  board  of  managers,  a  warden,  physician,^ 
clerk,  secretary,  steward,  and  such  other  officers  as  are 
necessary  to  carry  on  the  institution.      The  Governor 
appointed  the  following  named  gentlemen  to  constitute 
the  Board  of  Managers  to  serve  under  the  new  Peniten- 
tiary law:      Hon.    D.    C.    Coolman,    Portage   county; 
George  E.   Peters,   Franklin  county;    Darlington   Fee, 
Clermont  county ;    Col.  F,   Remple,   Hocking  county^ 
and    Col.    W.    R.    Robinson,    Hamilton    county.      On 
April  1st  they  held  their  first  meeting,   the  old  board 
retiring.      Mr.   Coolman  was, ^elected  President  of   the 
board,  and  Mr.  Peters,  of  Columbus,  elected  Secretary. 
After  they  had  examined  the  books  and  work  of  the 
retiring  board,  a  vote  of  thanks  was  extended  for  cour- 
tesies shown  them.     They  then  proceeded  to  elect  the 
following  officers :     Mr.  I.  G.  Peetrey,  of  London,  O., 
was  appointed  Warden  ;  Mr.  Eugene  Powell,  of  Dela- 
ware,  O.,   was  appointed  Secretary;  Clerk,  Mr.  L.  L. 
Lang,    Seneca    county ;    Assistant    Clerk,    Mr.    E.    J. 
Denny,   Cleveland,   O.  ;    Physician,  Dr.    C.    R.   Mont- 
gomery,  of   Columbus ;   Steward,    A.    B.    Curtis,   from 
Cuyahoga  Falls;  Captain  of  Night  Watch,  J.  P.  Helb- 
ling.  Brown  county;  Captain  Guard  Room  (day),  P.  J. 
Callan,  Mercer  county  ;  (night)  Wm.  Kilgore,  Madisort 


192  THE    OHIO    PENITENTIARY. 

county;  Deputy  Warden,  E.  H.  Marriott,  Columbus, 
O.;  Assistant  Deputy,  Frank  Stible,  Sandusky,  O.;  and 
the  necessary  number  of  superintendents.  The  general 
change  will  take  place  May  ist,  as  the  terms  of  most 
all  of  the  old  officers  expire  on  that  date  and  their 
places  will  be  filled  with  new  men.  Rev.  P,  P.  Wolf, 
of  Highland  county,  is  appointed  for  the  Chaplaincy, 
and  Mr.  Chas.  Allen,  from  Belmont  county,  Librarian. 
Miss  Jones,  of  Franklin  county,  was  appointed  Matron, 
Mrs.  L.  Doudney,  of  Brown  county.  Assistant. 

Much  credit  is  due  Mr.  Peetrey  for  his  cool  judgment 
and  business-like  manner  since  taking  hold  of  his  new 
work,  as  he  has  been  pressed  very  hard  by  applicani-s 
for  appointments  and  many  other  matters  which  have 
kept  him  constantly  at  hi^  post,  and  which  he  is  ever 
ready  to  give  prompt  attention.  The  writer  feels  as, 
sured  from  what  he  has  seen  of  Warden  Peetrey's 
movements  since  his  appointment  that  the  Board  of 
Managers  have  made  a  good  selection,  and  that  if  his 
subordinate  officers  will  give  him  their  hearty  support  as 
they  should  do,  he  will  be  successful  in  his  management 
of  the  institution.  Such  at  least  is  the  wish  of  the 
writer. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


'^'^C'H  lO-'J*^**- 


1    ^^    ■ 

DnE2WKSFRniv^ 


10m-9,'66(G5925s4) 


UiXO 
1995 


r 


.-ma,  Los  Angeles 


L  006  060  254  7 


9^75 

okm3 


UC  SOUTH!  RN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  I  AGILITY 


AA    000  910  087    6 


